Ronaldo continues to be a problem and a magnificent solution for United

Cristiano Ronaldo has been a problematic signing for Manchester United. Particularly in the last few weeks he has – finally, at 37 – begun to look his age. He would create tactical problems for any coach, especially one as devoted to gegenpressing as Ralf Rangnick. He is not the player he was. But though much was taken, much abides.

That this was only his second hat-trick for Manchester United is testament to how he has changed as a player. As he moved past Josef ‘Pepi’ Bican in Fifa’s charts as the leading goalscorer of all time, it’s easy to forget that when he left Manchester United in 2009, he was not yet the goal machine he would become but rather a wide forward who would occasionally be deployed through the centre. It was only at Real Madrid that the goals came by the bucketload.

His three goals against Tottenham demonstrated the range of abilities he still has. His first, lashed into the top corner from 25 yards as Eric Dier mysteriously sat off him, was a strike reminiscent of his goal against Porto in the Champions League quarter-final in 2009. The second was a predator’s effort, anticipating the threat, timing his run and staying onside to stroke Jadon Sancho’s cross low past Hugo Lloris. And the third was a classic goal of late-period Ronaldo as he powered in a header from a corner, all thrusting neck muscles like some tribute to Tommy Lawton. Without question, this was his best performance of the season.

He was focused and committed. He had eight shots in the game, four times more than the rest of the United team put together. Five of his shots were on target; every other player on the pitch managed four between them. He won three aerial duels, more than anybody other than Dier. In that sense it was a perfect