Cristiano Ronaldo has made an instant impact on his long-awaited 'second debut' for Manchester United by scoring a scrappy goal in the first half of their Premier League clash with Newcastle United on Saturday.
Making sure his men went down the tunnel for half time in a more relaxed frame of mind following an at-times stressful opening 45 minutes, CR7's strike was typical of the 'Fox in the Box' assassin he has become in the last few years.
As Mason Greenwood looked for an opening from the right wing, the youngster finally let off a ripping left-footed shot that was spilled and parried out by Freddie Woodman.
Right on cue, Ronaldo was there to pick up the scraps and tapped home to send an Old Trafford crowd that had roared before kick-off into raptures.
Raising his fingers to the sky, the 36-year-old broke into his iconic Siuuu! celebration.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s first ever SIU at Old Trafford. ????pic.twitter.com/gclAEFk7Jn
— TC (@totalcristiano) September 11, 2021
The greatest of all time returns home to Old Trafford and gets a goal in the first half SSSSIIIIUUUUUUUUUUUU
— Shiva ⱽᵏ ˢᵗᵃⁿ (@Billa_Shiva_) September 11, 2021
Welcome back Cristiano Ronaldo ????pic.twitter.com/K8vpcxzDnb
The Old Trafford crowd after Cristiano Ronaldo scored ???????? pic.twitter.com/z3iZFrDrBV
— United Zone (@ManUnitedZone_) September 11, 2021
But it hadn't been all rosy until then.
At one point dispossessed, which started a dangerous counter attack that stronger outfits might have punished the Mancunicans for, Ronaldo was also trolled online in under 10 minutes.
Horribly mis-hitting a volley in the Toon's box, he was seemingly unaware of how far away he was from the goal while also getting his timing wrong.
"What a volley!! Manchester United have the best finisher in Ronaldo," quipped one account which shared the footage sarcastically.
What a Volley!!
— Reuben Ewoton???????????? (@EwotonRueben) September 11, 2021
Manchester United have the best finisher in Ronaldo????#MUNNEW pic.twitter.com/5o17CSC3NC
Ronaldo couldn't help but laugh after going for the spectacular finish in his return ???? pic.twitter.com/0TrjNYfBpj
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) September 11, 2021
"Already ghosting, typical Ronaldo," quipped a fan.
And while the superstar saw the funny side of his blunder by laughing to himself afterwards, he also silenced any nonsense with his strike on the stroke of half time.
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