He did it again. That’s what they bought him for. Ninety four minutes gone, outplayed, but victorious. How does he do it? How did they do it? That’s what Unai Emery will be asking.
Manchester United got away with it here, no doubt of that. Villarreal were the better side and only a wonder goal from Alex Telles, his first for the club, gave United the momentum that prevented this Champions League campaign starting with back to back defeats. That’s certainly the way the game was heading.
And that was all Cristiano Ronaldo needed. A platform, a glimmer of hope.