Antonio Conte has described Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo as a "top, top player" following his match-winning hat-trick against Tottenham on Saturday.
Ronaldo returned from injury with a bang against Conte's side at Old Trafford, striking home superbly from 25 yards and adding another after Harry Kane had levelled from the spot.
The hosts were staring down the barrel of an unwanted draw following Harry Maguire’s own goal, only for the 37-year-old to rise highest to head home a corner to give the home side a 3-2 victory.
Speaking after the match, Conte described Ronaldo as one of the best players in the world.
"We are talking about a player, not only in this night, that has shown.. A top top player," he said.
"Don’t forget Cristiano and Messi are the two best in the world, in this era. Before that it was Maradona and Pele, but now they’re the best.
"You have to know when you play this player, they’re decisive, without Cristiano Ronaldo for United it wasn’t a good night."
Sky Sports pundits Roy Keane and Gary Neville were asked about Ronaldo's performance after the game, and both gave a similar verdict on the former Real Madrid star.
Keane said: "He was angry today, he doesn’t come to Man United to sit on the pitch. Obviously, he’s not going to play every single game but not when it’s Man City away or Chelsea, they’re the games he’s come back to play.
"Today we saw him aggressive, angry, because he’s one of the best to play the game and he wants to put the ball in the back of the net, we saw that today. He wanted it more than anyone else when that ball came into the box that’s why the guy deserves huge credit. It was good to see him upset and angry."
Neville added: "He’s always wanted to be the best player, the greatest goalscorer, he’s stubborn. Honestly, he is so single-minded, he cannot accept knockbacks like being left out last week - he’ll see that as a knockback - because he thinks he’s the greatest player who should be on the pitch all the time.
"That’s just obscene. That’s in the top leagues in Europe; Spain, Italy, obviously Premier League first time and again, Portugal. That’s at the highest level."
The result leaves Tottenham in seventh place, five points behind fourth-placed Man United, although Spurs do have two games in hand.
