Viva Ronaldo: Cristiano's two goals on glorious United return

The leap, swivel and landing with outstretched arms as the Old Trafford crowd roared.

If anyone missed it the first time on Saturday — and it's hard to imagine when so many eyes were transfixed on Cristiano Ronaldo — they got another chance in the second half.

This was always going to be Ronaldo's day. Two goals, two chances to stage his trademark celebration in a 4-1 victory over Newcastle, ensured the performance matched the club hype that fans young and old embraced with their "Viva Ronaldo" chants and willingness to hand over cash for new jerseys.

Less than five months ago the fans were storming the stadium in a rage against the owners. Now the green-and-gold antiGlazer protest scarves were hanging over the No. 7 Ronaldo shirts the megastore is struggling to match the demand for in the two weeks since he joined from Juventus.

The "Get out of our club" chants were aimed by the Newcastle supporters at their owner, not at the home directors' seats where Avram Glazer would have struggled to hear the few songs against his family from the Stretford end.

For Old Trafford's second capacity crowd since the start of the pandemic 18 months ago, the "Welcome home" announcements left no doubt they were for the superstar on the field.

"There was loads of expectation and he has delivered," United manager and former teammate Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said. "He's still a ruthless and clinical goal scorer. He smells the big moment."

Ronaldo left United a year after winning his first Ballon D'Or accolade in 2008. The Portugal captain returns a five-time winner, with the chiselled, lean body ensuring not just playing longevity at 36 but a status that transcends not just United but the sport.

Ronaldo even laughed at himself. Like after the early miss when he swung at the ball from a tight angle right in front of the Newcastle fans.

He had to wait until the second minute of stoppage time at the end of the first half to restart the goal count left at 118 in 2009.

Few goals will be easier, tapping into an empty net after goalkeeper Freddie Woodman fumbled Mason Greenwood.

It was a goal United fans hadn't seen in 12 years and feared would never happen, especially when he came close to signing for Manchester City when he unexpectedly came on the market in the final days of the summer transfer window.

Yet it was a goal only the crowd of around 74,000 could legally watch in Britain.

The rest of the world — apart from Afghanistan, Cuba, North Korea and Turkmenistan — could view it live on television.

The peculiarity of broadcasting rules meant this game was blacked out from television and digital platforms in Britain until after the game. Yet, illicit Twitter clips of it were showing more than a million views within half an hour of it being scored.

There was a moment of unease when United's need for a new defensive midfielder was highlighted by the failings that led to Newcastle's Javier Manquillo being able to equalize in the second half.

But Ronaldo had the lead restored in the 62nd. All the running in the buildup was from Luke Shaw before slipping the ball through for Ronaldo to effortlessly put the ball between Woodman's legs.

And there it was again, the signature celebration finessed during his time at Real Madrid, this time in front of the Stretford End, where Ronaldo shouted "Siuuu."

The win was secure. It just needed compatriot Bruno Fernandes with a fine rising, curling shot and Jesse Lingard's stoppage time strike to add to the party atmosphere.

Tougher assignments will come for Ronaldo and United. The celebrations on Saturday were around Ronaldo's return. But the homecoming will be deemed a success only if he brings the Premier League trophy back to United for the first time since the final days of Alex Ferguson's reign in 2013.

Ferguson, sitting in the directors' box, certainly looked impressed with the return of the forward he signed as a teenager in 2003 and is back to restore luster to a club that's seen City usurp United for silverware if not status.

He was left in no doubt how excited the fans are to see him back.

The post-match interviews, pitchside due to coronavirus restrictions, took place to the soundtrack of "Viva Ronaldo" being sung by thousands of fans who remained long after the final whistle.

PSG debuts Donnarumma and wins without Messi, Neymar

Midfielder Ander Herrera scored twice and Kylian Mbappe added another as French league leader Paris Saint-Germain routed promoted Clermont 4-0 on Saturday to make it five straight wins.

Midfielder Idrissa Gueye came off the bench to add the fourth goal midway through the second half.

Clermont lost for the first time after a bright start to Ligue 1.

Italy's European Championship star goalkeeper, Gianluigi Donnarumma, made his debut in goal for PSG, whose home fans must wait a while longer to see Lionel Messi at Parc des Princes.

The Argentina star scored a hat trick in World Cup qualifying on Thursday but was rested along with countrymen Angel Di Maria and Leandro Paredes and Brazil star Neymar.

Following international duty, they could return on Wednesday when PSG opens its Champions League campaign away to Bruges. Messi could make his home debut next Sunday against Lyon.

But Mbappe shook off a minor calf injury sustained on international duty with France and he finished confidently from Danilo Pereira's pass in the 54th minute. Herrera grabbed a rare brace with first-half goals and Gueye struck in the 64th.

Dortmund comes from behind 3 times to beat Leverkusen 4-3

Erling Haaland scored twice as Borussia Dortmund came from behind three times to beat Bayer Leverkusen 4-3 in a thrilling Bundesliga game on Saturday.

Both teams already had — along with Bayern Munich — the best attacks in the league (nine goals from three games), so needed no encouragement to push forward.

But the winning goal, a penalty scored by Haaland in the 77th minute, came after a contentious decision to award the spot kick. Odilon Kossounou caught Dortmund captain Marco Reus in the face with his hand as he tried to shield the ball, and referee Daniel Siebert pointed to the spot after watching replays following an intervention from the video referee.

"It's not a real blow in my opinion," Reus said. "What can I do? He hits me and I noticed it hurt and that's why I went to the ground."

Leverkusen opened the scoring in the ninth minute when Paulinho played Florian Wirtz through and the 18-year-old Germany forward tucked his shot inside the right post.