Cristiano Ronaldo must have known it was a Champions League night. Even with Manchester United playing in the Premier League, he knew he had to deliver.
Ronaldo obliged, scoring his first goal of 2022 after an uncharacteristic goal drought.
His goal against Brighton was a clinical one, lashing the ball into the bottom corner after Scott McTominay had won back possession in the final third.
Ronaldo’s performance was praised by interim manager Ralf Rangnick, who said it was his best all round game for ‘weeks’.
Rangnick told the club’s official website: “Yes, it was an amazing goal. Not only an important one but an amazing goal.
“Overall, it was also a good performance by Cristiano. Energetically, he was online, he was always trying to help the other team-mates. I think, in the last weeks, that would be the best performance by him and very, very important for us.”
Rangnick has only seen three goals from Ronaldo under his management, one of which was a penalty against Norwich, and the other a tap-in at home to Burnley in late December. This was more like it.
Ronaldo could have had a couple more, missing two more easier chances after his goal. It would have been quite something to end his goal drought with a hat-trick.
While Ronaldo would have liked all three, the one goal was enough, and gets his back on track at a crucial time for United.
He faces Leeds this weekend for the first time since the 2004/05 season, before a clash with Atletico Madrid, an opponent he is far more familiar with.
Rangnick’s comments will please him, and the manager seemed happy he has a smiling Ronaldo once again. Goals mean everything to the forward, and his career march goes on with 803 in total.
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