In a thrilling encounter at Old Trafford, Cristiano Ronaldo marked his return to Manchester United with a sensational hat-trick as the Red Devils cruised to a resounding 3-0 victory over arch-rivals Liverpool.In a thrilling encounter at Old Trafford, Cristiano Ronaldo marked his return to Manchester United with a sensational hat-trick as the Red Devils cruised to a resounding 3-0 victory over arch-rivals Liverpool. The match began with a rapid tempo, and Liverpool seized the early initiative, dominating possession and testing United’s defense. However, the Red Devils weathered the storm and gradually grew into the game. In the 17th minute, Ronaldo sent shockwaves through the away crowd with a stunning strike. Bruno Fernandes threaded a perfectly weighted pass into the Portuguese forward’s path, and he unleashed an unstoppable left-footed shot that flew into the top corner of the net. United continued to press, and Ronaldo doubled their lead just six minutes later. This time, it was a towering header from a Marcus Rashford cross that gave Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker no chance. The second half saw Liverpool push for a way back into the match, but United’s defense stood firm, led by the imperious Harry Maguire. Ronaldo then completed his hat-trick in the 53rd minute, collecting a pass from Paul Pogba and dispatching it into the net with clinical precision. From that point on, United controlled the tempo and saw out the match with relative ease. Liverpool’s frustrations were compounded when Thiago Alcantara was sent off for a late challenge on Pogba. Ronaldo’s hat-trick was his second in a Manchester United shirt, and it marked a triumphant return to the club he left 12 years ago. The victory also catapulted United into second place in the Premier League table, just one point behind leaders Chelsea. Liverpool, meanwhile, suffered a significant setback in their title challenge, falling to fourth place and seven points adrift of the Blues. The defeat also exposed some defensive frailties that manager Jurgen Klopp will need to address if they are to remain competitive this season.
