Arsenal vs Manchester United: Cristiano Ronaldo scores his 100th Premier League goal

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 100th Premier League goal in Manchester United’s 3-1 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates stadium on Saturday. The Gunners took a 2-0 lead courtesy of goals from Nuno Tavares and Bukayo Saka before Ronaldo pulled one back for the visitors in the 34th minute to make it 2-1. The Portuguese striker’s goal proved to be United’s only goal of the match in yet another defeat. In the midweek fixture, Liverpool had thrashed Ralf Rangnick’s side 4-0. 

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? @PremierLeague goals for @Cristiano!#MUFC | #ARSMUN pic.twitter.com/MnzqSjtmSd

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) April 23, 2022

Ronaldo became only the fourth United player to score 100 Premier League goals after Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes. The 37-year-old is also the 33rd different player overall to score a century of goals in English top-flight football. 

It is yet another milestone in the legendary footballer’s career who has conquered every league he has played in. No one has scored more official goals in the history of football than the Portuguese. Arguably the greatest man to ever play the game, Ronaldo has lived an illustrious and decorated career that will be almost impossible for any other player to ever match in the future.

The Portuguese footballer made himself available for the Arsenal game after missing the Liverpool loss following the death of his newborn baby. Ronaldo and Georgina Rodriguez revealed in October last year that they were expecting twins. The baby girl lived, however, the boy could not survive. Announcing the sad news on Instagram, the Portuguese striker had said earlier this week it is the “greatest pain” any parent can feel.

The legendary striker is in superb form for an underperforming Manchester United, having netted 22 goals across all competitions this season. He has been the lone bright spot in United’s dismal season. The Red Devils are currently placed sixth in the league standings, six points adrift of the top four. 

Ronaldo came back to Old Trafford for a second spell from Juventus last summer. He currently sits third in the race for the Premier League golden boot with 16 goals to his name, only behind Tottenham’s Son Heung-min (17) and Liverpool’s Mohammed Salah (17). 

Starting with humble beginnings in his home country with Sporting Lisbon, Ronaldo really started to make a name for himself when Man United signed him in 2003. He became a superstar and the best player in the world by the time he left England to start his journey with Spanish giants, Real Madrid in 2009.

Madrid would witness the peak of Ronaldo’s career, where he became the club’s all-time top scorer with 450 goals in 438 games. Following a hit-and-miss three-year stint with Juventus that saw him scoring more than 100 goals for the Turin based club, the striker returned to the Old Traford at the twilight of his career.