On April 25th, 2009, Manchester United faced Tottenham Hotspur in a Premier League match at Old Trafford. Cristiano Ronaldo scored a memorable hat-trick as Manchester United won the game 5-2.

Ronaldo opened the scoring in the 23rd minute with a free-kick that curled into the top corner of the net. Tottenham equalized soon after through a goal from Darren Bent, but Ronaldo restored United’s lead with a close-range finish in the 50th minute.

The Portuguese forward completed his hat-trick in the 69th minute with another stunning free-kick that left Tottenham goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes rooted to the spot. The goal was Ronaldo’s 25th league goal of the season.

Manchester United added two more goals through strikes from Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov, while Jermaine Jenas scored a consolation goal for Tottenham in the 90th minute.

The victory kept Manchester United at the top of the Premier League table and was a crucial win in their quest to retain the title. Ronaldo’s hat-trick was a standout performance in a season where he scored an incredible 26 league goals and won the Ballon d’Or for the first time in his career.