In the immediate wake of Manchester United’s best performance for some considerable time, a lot of talk on the wireless - and some of it on TV - was about Cristiano Ronaldo’s latest strop.
About how his petulance had been an unwelcome distraction from a rare, stellar team display. About how he had done his playing colleagues and his manager a grave disservice.
Nothing could be further from the truth - Cristiano Ronaldo only did himself a disservice. In fact, when Ronaldo skulked away, it was Erik ten Hag’s finest moment as Manchester United manager.
Old Trafford was bouncing, the players were strutting around with a confidence and conviction that has been hiding for an age, there was laughter, there was almost a sense of incredulity. And never mind the callers to the phone-ins, never mind the pundits, no-one in that stadium - certainly not the fans, the players, nor the staff - gave a jot that Ronaldo had stomped away early. He could have gone at half-time, for all they cared.
The supporters were only interested in saluting the footballers who played so brilliantly, who gave their all against Spurs. And now they know Ronaldo refused to come on as a late substitute, they will be glad.
Now that Ten Hag has declared Ronaldo will not travel with the squad to Stamford Bridge - for the type of blue-chip fixture in which he loves to strut his stuff - they will be glad. Now that Ronaldo will, at least for the foreseeable future, be ostracised from the first team squad, they will be glad. Now they know he has been fined two weeks’ wages, they will be glad.
Should Cristiano Ronaldo play for Man Utd again? Have your say here
For those who have seen the Ten Hag-Ronaldo dynamic as some sort of power struggle, Wednesday night was the player, unknowingly perhaps, throwing in the towel. Or Ten Hag's knockout blow - take your pick.
Ahead of the game against Newcastle on Sunday, as an acknowledgement of his 700 club goals, Ronaldo was feted by Sir Alex Ferguson. Towards the end of that game, he was hooked by Ten Hag. Even that seemed symbolic. As Ronaldo’s punishments become clear, even Fergie - the player’s greatest champion - must be applauding.
The most disappointing thing about Ronaldo’s early exit is that there were some of us who believed he could have made himself an invaluable, experienced, unofficial assistant to Ten Hag. After all, everyone tells us he is brilliant with the youngsters on the training ground.
Even if he isn’t playing - as he did not against Spurs - he might be able to have an input, to help, to cajole, to inspire. But no, it was all about him. Only when Ronaldo threw this latest hissy-fit, it wasn’t any more. It was all about Ten Hag.
And now, it is all about how Ten Hag is handling Ronaldo - and all that goes with him - with wonderful authority. It is all about how Ten Hag is instilling the simple and obvious philosophy of no one player being more important than the team.
It is all about how Ten Hag cares about selflessness … but Ronaldo cares only about himself. When Ronaldo left on Wednesday night, Ten Hag arrived.
