Cristiano Ronaldo stole the headlines once again this week after scoring a last-gasp winner for Manchester United during their Champions League group game with Atalanta on Wednesday night.
The 36-year-old executed one of his trademark headers in the 81st minute of the game to secure his second consecutive Champions League match-winner and help the Red Devils win 3-2.
Now, the Portugal international will turn his attention to Sunday’s fixture – where he will face Liverpool for the 13th time in his career when Jurgen Klopp’s men travel to Old Trafford.
Ronaldo has scored a phenomenal number of goals during the course of his career, but has always found it difficult to perform against Liverpool. Additionally, he will head into Sunday’s fixture having failed to score in his last three Premier League outings.
Cristiano Ronaldo stole the headlines once again this week after scoring against Atalanta
He executed one of his trademark headers in the 81st minute of the game to secure victory
It has been a while since Liverpool last came up against Ronaldo and they may be feeling threatened given his electric performance against Atalanta on Wednesday night.
However, the history books have shown that Ronaldo is rarely at his dazzling best when facing the Merseyside club. He has only managed to score three times in 12 competitive fixtures against the Reds.
Ronaldo has also failed to register any meaningful stats against Liverpool during their Premier League encounters – having only managed eight shots on target throughout the entirety of his career against them.
Ronaldo will face the Reds for the 13th time when Jurgen Klopp’s men travel to Old Trafford
The history books have shown that Ronaldo is less effective when facing the Merseyside club
Compared with other teams in the league, this is rather underwhelming. Ronaldo has registered more shots on target against 17 other Premier League sides, scored more goals against 14 sides and had more assists against nine sides.
He has also scored eight Premier League goals against Aston Villa and tripled his number of assists against Tottenham Hotspur.
Nevertheless, Ronaldo has provided moments of brilliance against Liverpool and can’t be underestimated on Sunday afternoon. Having scored against the Reds twice for Manchester United and once for Real Madrid, the 36-year-old has proved he is capable of causing damage.
The Portugal international has scored three times in 12 competitive games against Liverpool
He did score a great goal against the Reds in Real Madrid’s Champions League group game
One of his most memorable goals against Liverpool came during his time at Real Madrid. Ronaldo received a standing ovation for his performance against Brendan Rodgers’ side in the 2014-2015 campaign.
Ronaldo outclassed Liverpool in the middle of the park before darting past their defence to get on the end of James Rodriguez’s pass. The Portugal international took the ball out of the air beautifully and played it past Simon Mignolet to score their opener.
The goal – which marked Ronaldo’s 70th Champions League career goal and was later voted as the best effort of the competition – helped secure Real Madrid a 3-0 victory over Liverpool.
Ronaldo was also apart of the squad that beat Liverpool 3-1 in Kiev to win the 2018 Champions League final – although he didn’t score.
He was also apart of the squad that beat Liverpool to win the 2018 Champions League final
Liverpool recognised Ronaldo’s potential from the get-go and sought to sign him in 2003
Liverpool have always seen Ronaldo as a threat and looked to sign the forward in 2003 to prevent him from playing against them.
The Merseyside club were confident of beating Europe’s elite to his signature but it was their Premier League rivals Manchester United that got their hands on the young starlet.
Sir Alex Ferguson signed Ronaldo from Sporting Lisbon in August of that year, paying £12.2million. While Liverpool had reportedly bid just £4m for the hot prospect.
Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier – who went to watch Ronaldo in action by travelling to the Toulon tournament to see him play for Portugal’s Under 20s – was disappointed not to have acquired his services.
Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier (left) went to see Ronaldo play and thought a deal was in place
However, Sir Alex Ferguson (left) signed Ronaldo (right) for £12.2million back in 2003
Recalling the experience, Liverpool’s assistant manager Phil Thompson said: ‘On the Tuesday morning, we were having lunch at the training ground and it came up on the yellow strap on Sky Sports, “Manchester United have signed Cristiano Ronaldo for £12.2m”.
‘Gerard and myself almost choked on our food. I can remember Gerard jumping up and saying, “What the hell has gone on there?”.
Liverpool were left to rue their failure to land Ronaldo, who quickly developed into one of the world’s best players during his six-year spell at Old Trafford.
After winning three Premier League titles, a Champions League and his first Ballon d’Or award, he departed for Real Madrid in 2009 in what was then a world-record £80m transfer.
Since his return, Ronaldo has played close to 400 league minutes and scored three goals
He has failed to score in his last three Premier League outings butwill be eager to change that
Nevertheless, he returned to Manchester United in the summer – after leaving Juventus as Serie A’s top scorer last season.
Since his return, he has played close to 400 Premier League minutes and scored three goals in five outings. His first two goals came during his second debut for the club in United’s 4-1 victory over Newcastle at Old Trafford.
He then followed that up with another goal against West Ham United. However, he has failed to score in his last three Premier League outings.
Therefore, Ronaldo will be eager to get back on the scoresheet against Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.
