Ronaldo Beats the Boo-boys

You did not need to be Inspector Morse to predict how Cristiano Ronaldo would be greeted on his return to English football at Oxford's Kassam Stadium last night, writes Sean Ingle

There were bitter, beer-soaked boos every time he touched the ball but what impressed Sir Alex Ferguson was Ronaldo's response: two goals and an assist as Manchester United won 4-1.

"Cristiano took his goals very well and handled the crowd too," insisted the United manager. "The scoreline flattered us a bit but the important thing was to get our World Cup players back playing - I was satisfied with them all."

It took 10 minutes for the winger to set up United's first goal for Ole Gunnar Solksjaer with a crafty dink. Five minutes later he scored with a 20-yard right-foot volley before adding a crisply taken second from 15 yards. On both occasions few home supporters applauded; most just turned up the volume and venom. It seems that while Wayne Rooney may have forgiven Ronaldo for not mounting a cast-iron legal defence following that stamp on Ricardo Carvalho's groin during England's World Cup defeat to Portugal, the Great British Public have not.

Ronaldo was heckled off the team coach, booed during the warm-up, hissed at when his name was called out and booed throughout the game. The only time the Oxford fans cheered was when he lost the ball. At times it felt like being at a pantomime.

Not that it seemed to bother the Portugal winger. He was at the heart of most of the visitors' best work. There were none of his showboating shimmies and exaggerated lollipops but he was facing a Conference side, not Chelsea. When Oxford's players, notably Eddie Hutchinson, tried to take him out, Ronaldo was simply too quick.

United, who included Gabriel Heinze, John O'Shea, Mikaiel Silvestre, Solksjaer and Louis Saha in their starting line-up, were three goals up in no time at all. Oxford deservedly pulled one back through Robert Duffy's close-range header and nearly got a second when a Andy Burgess chip floated over the bar.

Ronaldo added a fourth on the hour, pictured left, and when he was substituted 10 minutes later he walked off slowly, almost as if he were savouring the abuse.

Meanwhile United are likely to sign West Brom's Tomasz Kuszczak within the next 48 hours. The Poland goalkeeper is expected to move to Old Trafford in a £2.5m deal.