Cristiano Ronaldo makes Champions League history; pens emotional message for Man Utd fans

Manchester United kickstarted the new era under caretaker manager Michael Carrick with 2-0 away win at Villareal on Tuesday night during the Champions League group stage match. Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho scored for the visitors during the Manchester United vs Villareal match to ensure that the team reaches the last 16 stage of the competition. The win also ensured Manchester United topped their group in the Champions League. Following Manchester United's win over Villareal, Cristiano Ronaldo took to social media and posted a message for fans. 

Manchester United vs Villareal: Cristiano Ronaldo breaks record

Cristiano Ronaldo goal today saw him make Champions League history by becoming the competition's all-time top scorer. He is also the first player to score in each of an English club's first five matches of a single European Cup/Champions League season, excluding qualifiers. 

Following the win in the Manchester United vs Villareal match, Cristiano Ronaldo in his Instagram post wrote "Always great to play in Spain, amazing to win in Spain, satisfying to score in Spain, a country where I always felt special… Congrats to the lads for a great victory that puts us where we belong! We are Man. United and we will never stop fighting for this club! Let’s go, Devils!". Manchester United are next in action at the weekend as they visit Premier League leaders Chelsea.

Manchester United vs Villareal match highlights

Ronaldo already scored two winners and a late equalizer in the Champions League this season before his smartly taken go-ahead goal against Villarreal in the 78th minute, prompted by Fred winning the ball high up the field. And both Fred and Ronaldo featured in a counterattack that ended with Sancho smashing a shot in off the underside of the crossbar to seal the win.

Carrick made a big call in his first game in charge by dropping playmaker Bruno Fernandes in a bid to set up in a more solid fashion and protect a defense that has been overrun this season. It led to a first clean sheet of the group stage. More joy was to follow as Atalanta's wild 3-3 draw at Young Boys meant United cannot be displaced as group leader courtesy of its superior head-to-head record against Villarreal, which is three points back in second place. Atalanta, which is a point further back, grabbed a point thanks to Luis Muriel's 87th-minute free kick with his first touch after coming on as a substitute.

(With AP Inputs)