After scoring for Manchester United against Arsenal, Cristiano Ronaldo has joined the Premier League’s ‘100 club’.
The 37-year old announced on Monday that one of his and girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez’s recently born twins had passed away. Subsequently, he also missed the clash with Liverpool earlier this week. He returned to action against Arsenal, United’s top-four rivals, and could only watch as the Gunners raced into a two-goal lead in north London, with goals from Nuno Tavares and Bukayo Saka adding more pressure on a United side that is frantically trying to qualify for the Champions League. But Ronaldo showed wonderful predatory instincts as he tends to do in big games and dragged United back into the game, ripping off Gabriel Magalhaes to direct Nemanja Matic’s cross past Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.
Ronaldo’s goal was his 16th of the season and, more importantly, his 100th in the Premier League. He now joins fellow United greats Wayne Rooney, Paul Scholes and Robin Van Persie and is the 33rd player in the history of the competition to achieve the landmark.
Cristiano reached this feat in a total of 223 games. In his first three years as a United player, he scored 18 goals in 95 matches from the right midfield position. And the remaining 82 goals have come from 128 matches since becoming a wide forward or striker.