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Cristiano Ronaldo said there are “no limits” for Manchester United after hitting a superb hat-trick to guide the Red Devils to a 3-2 win over Tottenham.
Ronaldo netted his second Premier League treble to boost United’s hopes of Champions League qualification, doing so 14 years and 59 days after scoring three in a 6-0 win against Newcastle United, marking the longest gap between a player’s first and second hat-tricks in the competition’s history.
After his 49th career hat-trick, the Portuguese legend has also scored a treble in each of the last 13 seasons of his club career, a run which stretches back to the 2009-10 campaign.
The Old Trafford victory lifted United into the Premier League’s top four, albeit having played four games more than fifth-placed Arsenal, and Ronaldo said he was “tremendously happy” with his performance in a social media post.
“Tremendously happy with my first hat-trick since I came back to Old Trafford!” the 37-year wrote on Instagram.
“Nothing beats the feeling of being back on the pitch and help the team with goals and effort.
“We’ve proven once again that we can beat any team in any given day, as long as we work hard and stand together as one.
“There are no limits for Man United! No matter what! Let’s go, Devils!”
Despite United’s struggles this term, the former Real Madrid and Juventus star has hit 12 league goals since returning to the club last summer, placing him top of their goalscoring charts.
However, interim manager Ralf Rangnick joked that his top goalscorer should always prepare in that fashion after his superb showing, also praising his work ethic in training.
“We were just joking a little bit,” Rangnick laughed. “Maybe it makes sense to send him to Portugal for three days, then have him not train for two days, then have him back in training on Thursday!
“By the way, he performed on a similar kind of level on Thursday in training, that’s why I decided after that training session, although he had been out from a week, to play him from the start.
“Maybe we have to do that for the rest of the season.”
United became the first team to hit 400 Premier League home wins after beating Spurs, against whom they have enjoyed 23 Old Trafford victories in the competition. No side has beaten another opponent more often at home in the league’s history.
