Cristiano Ronaldo Buys Time For Ole Gunnar Solskjaer As Manchester United Thump Tottenham

Cristiano Ronaldo came to the rescue of beleaguered Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on Saturday as the visitors thumped Tottenham 3-0.

Cristiano Ronaldo came to the rescue of beleaguered Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on Saturday as the visitors thumped Tottenham 3-0 to restore pride after their humiliation by Liverpool. United arrived in London smarting from their 5-0 home defeat by their fiercest rivals last week, which led to a storm of speculation over the future of the Norwegian boss. But a sublime first-half strike by Ronaldo, a clever finish from Edinson Cavani and a late Marcus Rashford goal lifted the visitors to fifth in the table, just three points behind third-placed Manchester City.

Solskjaer paired veteran forwards Ronaldo and Cavani up front for the first time, with Mason Greenwood and Rashford missing out.

He also opted for a central back three, bringing in the returning Raphael Varane alongside Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof.

The game took time to catch fire in front of a crowd of more than 60,000, with clear-cut openings at a premium.

Son Heung-min fired over from close range for Spurs after Lucas Moura found him on the left with a dinked ball and moments later Cavani headed wide from a Bruno Fernandes cross.