Pogba is put in place by old favourite
There was only one leading man
PAUL POGBA might have claimed that he too had a big part to play on a night of emotional reunions at Old Trafford.
After all, he said he has nothing but fond memories of his four years in Turin during which he won four Serie A titles with Juventus.
But when it comes to the spotlight there was only ever going to be one leading man on a chilly night in Manchester and it took Cristiano Ronaldo just over 15 minutes to show it.
The Portuguese had received a rousing reception before the match from a crowd still grateful for his contributions nine years on from the last time he wore a red shirt.
It no doubt had its roots in his words on the eve of this match when he once again talked fondly of his time here, including sending Sir Alex Ferguson “a big hug”.
Yet while Pogba continues to impress only intermittently in a United shirt and once again failed to impose himself for all that he went close when hitting the post with a long-range shot in the second half, Ronaldo rises to the biggest occasions whatever shirt he wears.
Juventus have dominated Serie A for the last seven seasons, including the four when Pogba was a player in Turin before United re-signed him for £89million in 2016.
This season has shown no signs of them releasing their grip with eight wins in an unbeaten start to their season.
Yet the signing of Ronaldo for £99m in the summer was not in order to continue domestic dominance but with an eye on Europe.
Twice in the last four years Juve have reached the final only to be beaten by Barcelona in 2015 and by Real Madrid and Ronaldo in 2017.
The Portugal star is supposed to be the final piece in the jigsaw and on last night’s showing the Italian club look to have executed shrewd business with both Pogba and Ronaldo.
It was Ronaldo’s whipped cross from the right flank which Chris Smalling failed to clear after 16 minutes to give Juventus the breakthrough.
And there were two moments of more direct threat which showed he has lost none of his potency.
After 38 minutes Ronaldo had his standing leg whipped from under him by Ashley Young. His free-kick darted in towards David de Gea who nervously parried the ball away.
With the second half just six minutes old Ronaldo ran on to a neat tee up by Paulo Dybala, he launched a shot from 25 yards which the United goalkeeper tipped over.
Judged over the full 90 minutes this was by no means a tour de force from the Juventus forward but it was a statement that all these years on, and with so much water under the bridge for both him and United, he still has it.
Given the sums both he and Pogba command it would be interesting to know how many of last night’s crowd would still like him in a red shirt.