It was the hottest ticket in town for some time and Cristiano Ronaldo was never going to disappoint. It is rare that one individual transcends a match but that is how it was at Old Trafford from the moment Manchester United’s returning icon first stepped out to warm up, sparking roars that could be heard half a mile from the ground.
Back to where he belongs to reprise a never ending love story (Ronaldo’s words); back in the “magic” No 7 shirt (his again), the 36-year-old Portuguese had delighted the capacity crowd with a poacher’s finish on the stroke of half-time. But the best was yet to come.