Three talking points from the Premier League

Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United lived up to the hype as the five-time Ballon d’Or winner scored twice on his homecoming to Old Trafford in a 4-1 win over Newcastle.

Evergreen Ronaldo makes Man Utd dream
Ronaldo’s sensational return mapped out a road to future glory for United rather than a nostalgic trip down memory lane and made them title contenders. Old Trafford was whipped into a frenzy long before kick-off with choruses of “Viva Ronaldo” ringing around the 74,000 crowd. With former manager Alex Ferguson beaming with delight in the stands, United fans could be forgiven for thinking the glory days when Ronaldo won a Champions League and three Premier League titles were back.

Ronaldo’s enduring excellence belies his age and offers the tantalising prospect of a productive connection with compatriot Fernandes and young stars Jadon Sancho, Mason Greenwood and Marcus Rashford. Yet this embarrassment of riches will force manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to make tough decisions on which players to start, with internationals Anthony Martial and Lingard benched and Rashford recovering from injury against Newcastle.