Ronaldo leaves his critics' red-faced to lift gloom around Solskjaer

There was an awful lot written about Ronaldo in midweek following Liverpool’s 5-0 victory at Old Trafford

Sat, 30 Oct, 2021 - 19:33

Chris Hatherall

Cristiano Ronaldo has left his critics red faced so many times over the years but there was something special about doing it at Tottenham on a night when his manager's job was on the line.

Ronaldo's stunning opening goal just before half-time set up a 3-0 victory which saved Ole Gunnar Solskjaer from further humiliation and put another coach in the spotlight instead It was the catalyst for a crucial United win, sealed by Edinson Cavani and Marcus Rashford, and one which left Spurs boss Nuno Espirito Santo facing calls for the sack this time.

There was an awful lot written about Ronaldo in midweek following Liverpool’s 5-0 victory at Old Trafford as critics looked for a scapegoat, but really we should have learned by now that the Portuguese should be off limits when it comes to these debates.

Yes, his frustrated kick at Curtis Jones during a miserable night could have ended in a red card; but Ronaldo isn’t the problem at Old Trafford and, unlike Paul Pogba who usual draws the ire of the keyboard warriors when things go wrong, he isn’t a player who lacks consistency or who lets his manager down in a crisis. That’s a point he proved here in abundance.

Heat maps had been printed in midweek showing his lack of running and pressing, other graphics alleged he had the third-lowest average touches per match in the United team, whilst statistical updates revealed he was on the verge of going five league games without a goal for the first time since 2008-9 (when he endured a nine-game drought in a United shirt, something he never repeated in Spain or Italy).

But whenever Ronaldo is criticised, and it has happened many, many times, the sheer personality of the man demands that a response; and invariably he does so in style.

That was the case in North London as he made a darting run to the far post and met Bruno Fernandes’ deep curling cross first time on the volley to fire a low angled shot past Hugo Lloris just before half-time.

The quality of the strike, and the difficulty of the technique, cannot be underestimated, but the timing of it should have surprised nobody. When Ronaldo is questioned, he delivers.

Solskjaer knows that, and perhaps that’s why the Norwegian looked so defiant pre-match, despite the terrible pressure he has been put under, pressure which continued when he paired Ronaldo and Cavani up front. Was that partnership – with a combined age of 70 - going to trouble Spurs in the hectic atmosphere of a Premier League must-win fixture, social media commentators asked? The answer was 'yes'.

The partnership is probably not the long-term answer, of course, and perhaps that’s where the criticism comes from. United have opted to go for glamour and proven performers rather than focus on exciting young players who can be the spine of the team for many years to come, leaving Rashford, Mason Greenwood, Jadon Sancho and Donny van de Beek on the bench here. But that’s not Ronaldo’s fault, so it’s time that United worked out how to make the most of him, and there were signs of that happening at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

This was the Portuguese’s sixth goal of the season for the Red Devils so far and his 12th for club and country, so it really is pointless trying to make a case that he is past it and a waste of space.

There was another flashing finish from Ronaldo after the break, this time ruled out by an offside flag, but those moments of brilliance were enough to calm the glamour for Solskjaer’s head, even if attacking was never going to be the major focus of the night – for either team.

In reality, nobody was expecting a classic. These were two teams with underlying nerves, anxieties and pressures, and two managers knowing their futures were on the line if things went wrong.

Something ‘had to change’ was what Paul Pogba said even about Untied even before the Liverpool debacle, and Solsjkear responded by opting for a back three with two holding midfielders to ensure a clean sheet.

Having Raphael Varane available made that an easier decision, but it certainly worked , leaving Ole off the hook for now as his new-look defence stayed strong and never looked like being breached.

By contrast, Tottenham manager Nuno not only suffered boos when taking off Lucas Moura but also calls for his head at the final whistle.

The difference in the end was that Ole had a legend - or two - to save him, whilst Nuno’s Kane, was expertly snuffed out by United’s revitalised defence. So, next time there's a United crisis, let's leave Ronaldo out of it.