Cristiano Ronaldo gets the reaction he deserves from Tom Brady with Manchester United hat-trick vs Spurs

The last time Cristiano Ronaldo scored against Tottenham at Old Trafford he was 24-years-old and got two goals. Almost 13 years on, he went one better aged 37.

Ronaldo's first hat-trick back at United - and his second for the club since January 2008 - crowned his finest performance in a season where he has been repeatedly questioned. Tom Brady, American football's greatest and sat in the directors' box, put his hands together three times for football's greatest. Brady's Twitter account also posted its approval.

Inexplicably, Ronaldo did not approach the referee for the match ball, possibly because he has enough already on display in his museum. This was his 49th. Tottenham are officially now his Premier League patsies; he has scored 10 against them - more than any other club in his United career.

Read more: United player ratings as Ronaldo great vs Spurs

According to Fifa, Ronaldo is now the game's most prolific goalscorer. Pele, with his mythical four-figure tally, may have something to say about that. Most impressively Ronaldo is two goals shy of a 20-goal haul in the Premier League and Champions League in a season he turned 37. All of his goals have come in the aforementioned two competitions.

Whatever Ralf Rangnick's reservations about Ronaldo, he needs him more than the other way round. Ronaldo has elevated United back up to fourth - for now - and Atletico Madrid must be relieved he has plundered a hat-trick three days before they touch down in Manchester. He has two against them already in the Champions League.

In a season where the United players have been found out it was almost the turn of the interim manager. For such a famed tactician, Rangnick was dormant and dilatory, the failure to send Victor Lindelof on