Ronaldo Scores Hat-trick as United Crush CityRonaldo Scores Hat-trick as United Crush City Manchester United put on a dominant display at the Etihad Stadium, crushing local rivals Manchester City 5-2 in a thrilling Premier League encounter. The match was marked by a stunning hat-trick from Cristiano Ronaldo, who showcased his exceptional finishing prowess and cemented his status as one of the greatest goalscorers of all time. From the opening whistle, United dictated the tempo of the game. Bruno Fernandes opened the scoring in the 8th minute with a powerful strike from the edge of the area. Ronaldo doubled the lead just five minutes later, volleying home a superb cross from Luke Shaw. City pulled one back through Bernardo Silva in the 45th minute, but Ronaldo restored United’s two-goal advantage with a penalty in the 50th minute. The Portuguese superstar completed his hat-trick in the 68th minute, converting a tap-in after a brilliant pass from Marcus Rashford. City’s Joao Cancelo was sent off in the 70th minute for a reckless challenge on Anthony Martial, leaving the hosts with a numerical disadvantage. United took full advantage, with Rashford and Martial adding further goals to complete the rout. Ronaldo’s hat-trick was his 58th in his illustrious career, and his first for United since returning to the club from Juventus in 2021. It was a timely reminder of his brilliance and underlined his importance to Erik ten Hag’s resurgent team. United’s victory over City was a statement of intent. It showed that they have the quality and determination to challenge for major honors this season. Ronaldo’s performance was a catalyst for the team, inspiring them to a memorable victory in front of a raucous crowd. The victory puts United fifth in the Premier League standings, five points behind leaders Arsenal. They will look to build on this momentum when they host Crystal Palace at Old Trafford on Saturday.
