CRISTIANO RONALDO SURPASSED 800 goals for club and country with a double as Manchester United beat Arsenal 3-2 to close to within three points of the Premier League top four.
With new interim manager Ralf Rangnick watching from the stands, the German was given a glimpse of both the talent he will have to work with and problems he has to solve at Old Trafford.
Arsenal went ahead in bizarre circumstances as Emile Smith Rowe’s shot trickled in with United goalkeeper David De Gea down injured before Bruno Fernandes levelled.
Ronaldo’s 800th career goal was quickly cancelled out by Martin Odegaard.
But the five-time Ballon d’Or winner had the final say when he crashed home a penalty 20 minutes from time.
A vital victory for United cuts the gap between the sides to two points in the battle for a place in next season’s Champions League.
Three points also rounds off a fine stint for Michael Carrick in caretaker charge since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked after progress to the Champions League last 16 and a creditable 1-1 draw at Premier League leaders Chelsea.
The United fans paid homage to Solskjaer with a banner in the first match at Old Trafford since he was dismissed.
However, once the action got underway, nothing seemed to have changed from the final days of the Norwegian’s reign as United started in a similar fashion to humiliating home defeats to Liverpool and Manchester City.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ben White had chances for the visitors inside the first two minutes.
When Arsenal did go in front on 13 minutes it was in strange fashion.
Smith Rowe’s shot bounced into an unguarded net with De Gea down injured having been stood on by his own player Fred.
Referee Martin Atkinson blew the whistle to stop play, but only after the ball had crossed the line and therefore the goal had to stand.
Arsenal players rebuffed United’s request to stand aside and allow them to equalise in a gesture of fair play.
But they did so of their own accord a minute before half-time when Jadon Sancho and Fred combined to tee up Fernandes to slot home his first goal since September.
In stark contrast to a cagey first 45 minutes, the second period raged from end to end.
De Gea made amends for his part in the opening goal with a flying save to deny Gabriel before Aaron Ramsdale produced an even better stop at the other end to divert Ronaldo’s drive to safety.
Ronaldo was dropped to the bench by Carrick at Stamford Bridge on Sunday amid suggestions that may become a more common occurrence under Rangnick’s high-energy style.
Accommodating the 36-year-old has been one of the causes of United’s decline defensively this season.
But Ronaldo has kept his end of the bargain with 12 goals in 17 games since returning for a second spell with the Red Devils.
He coolly slotted home Marcus Rashford’s cross, but United’s lead lasted just two minutes as Arsenal responded with almost a carbon copy equaliser.
This time Gabriel Martinelli was the provider for Odegaard to steer into the far corner.
However, on the night he reached another remarkable personal milestone, the stage was set for Ronaldo to breathe new life into United’s season when Fred was chopped down inside the box by Odegaard.
Fernandes blasted over when he retained penalty duties against Aston Villa earlier in the season.
This time he stood aside for his international teammate, who smashed the ball high past Ramsdale for his 130th United goal across two spells.
Ronaldo also scored 450 goals for Real Madrid, 101 at Juventus, five for Sporting Lisbon and is the record goalscorer in international football with 115 for Portugal.
Gavan Casey is joined by Bernard Jackman and Murray Kinsella to discuss Ulster making fools of the experts, Connacht’s class, and Munster’s mission for Wasps:
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And this my friends……..
@Ray Ridge: Gave you a thumbs up Ray, cos I get a bit of craic outta you.
Anyway, if Liverpool win tomorrow, one more win very likely do it.
@ecrowley ecrowley: if only equalling arsenal’s results till they run out of games,so be it, tomorrow and next weekend the handiest of what’s left,two wins and I might lay of the anxiety tablets.
@Deano74: Ah it’s defo done pal, but I’d like it confirmed sooner than later.
@ecrowley ecrowley: I know,it’s like waiting on a bus,you know it’s coming,but you just want it here.
@Deano74: exactamundo
@ecrowley ecrowley: hope Ray doesn’t support Liverpool!?
@Deano74: Can you give them to me
@Tom Murphy: Arsenal fan i think
@Ray Ridge: friends???
@ecrowley ecrowley: Tbh I don’t Liverpool need to win another game in order to lift the trophy.
@SEAN: You’re a great friend of mine Seanie.
If Arsenal wet themselves against Madrid Wednesday night it won’t surprise me one bit.
The league is done and everyone knows it. Liverpool probably don’t even need another point the way Arsenal are going.
Main thing, no injuries ahead of the Madrid game. Pity they couldn’t rest more but it is what it is. Hopefully they played within themselves and are primed for Wednesday.
Hopefully Mbappe can do an Origi on them next Wednesday!
@Dan The Man: Hope arsenal go through
Hardly a slip up in fairness…..
@Paul Linehan: in the context of the title race of course it is. If Liverpool fail to capitalise on it tomorrow that’s an even bigger slip up
@Michael Mullins: what title race? It’s done since end of march.
@Paul Mallon: grand for us to say that here. Doubt that’s what Arteta is telling them before matches
@Michael Mullins: I’m sure Arsenal have a more realistic target in mind to be bothered by something they blew a long time ago.
Looked as of though the exertions against Real the other night caught up with Arsenal not only physically but mentally and emotionally too. Here’s hoping that they can raise their game again next week in bernabau otherwise they be in for one long long night
@Jed Ward: arsenal score in the 90 mins and it’s well done,at 3 nil it should be,but I seem to vaguely remember a certain side overcome a 3 nil against another Spanish heavy weight,best of luck anyway,enjoy.
@Jed Ward: Arsenal will go through
@SEAN: €1,000 says Real will go through
If Arsenal want CL trophy they’ll have to rest their first 11 regularly now come PL games as pathway to that trophy is probably PSG in semi and most probably Barcelona in the final. Gunners won’t half deserve trophy if they can put out Madrid and also those teams.
Same old arsenal
How poor are this Arsenal side
@james quinn: Apparently Arsenal have spent 1.4 billion since 2017. Klopp lifted how many trophies with about 1/30th of that budget and assisted Slot with another!
@Dan The Man: Yep. With City in a title race, Liverpool were winning nearly every game after xmas and twice came up 1 point short getting the likes of 97 points. With Arsenal u just know they can’t put a string of wins together. They needn’t use Europe as an excuse. Klopp won a Champions League and still got close to 100 points. Levels to this game.
@james quinn: Still poor enough to beat the champions league winner 3 zip
@Dan The Man: klopps net spend was roughly just shy of 350 million,in 9 years, Artetas net spend is roughly 540 million in five years.