Manchester Unite Ralf Rangnick insists he worked closely with Cristiano Ronaldo during the week before his hat-trick against Tottenham.
United won 3-2 on Saturday night with Ronaldo hitting a treble.
Rangnick said, “[Ronaldo] was also energetic today. He was part of the whole team when we had to defend, because we had to defend a lot. It was a top performance by him, but also by the rest of the team.
“I didn't expect him to score three goals, but I expected him to score. That's why I decided to play him. His training session was so good on Thursday that I decided to start him and not bring him from the bench. I spoke to him before training on Friday and he said his hip flexor was good enough to play.
“Coming back after two goals showed we had the right mentality. We deserved to win. The performance was aggressive enough at least. We showed the desire to win that game. I said before the game, the team who wants it more will be successful.
“I thought we were really good in the first half. We just allowed them moments when they got into our penalty box too easily. Without Bruno Fernandes and Scott McTominay, it wasn't easy. It's a big victory. We had to win today in order to stay in competition for fourth place. It'll also give us a big boost for the game on Tuesday.
“It's a challenge with a player like Ronaldo, but he showed today that he still has the quality to play for a club like Manchester United. He also has the quality to be part of the team, and if we want to be successful at the end of the season that's what we need."
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