Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo has ended his longest goal drought for over  a decade after finding the back of the net for Manchester United during the 2-0 home win over Brighton and Hove Albion. He had gone six games without a win before breaking the deadlock against the Seagulls when the two teams met in the Premier League earlier this week.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been heavily criticised in recent weeks due to his lack of cutting edge in front of goal as he went through his longest goal drought since 2009 when he was in his first season as a Real Madrid player on the back of a transfer worth £80m from Manchester United. The Portuguese international captain had not scored for the Red Devils since the 3-1 home win over Burnley in the league. Ronaldo went through the Wolves (league), West Ham United (league), Brentford (league),Middlesbrough (FA Cup),Burnley (league) and Southampton (league).

Manchester United came into the home game with Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League with a winless run spanning over the course of their last three games, but with the knowledge that a win will take them one place higher and into fourth place on the log.

Brighton started the Manchester United game on the front foot and they were the better team in the first half. The Seagulls should have established a lead at the end of the first 45 minutes if not for their wastefulness in front of goal when they had the chances to score. Manchester United improved significantly after the half-time break and they went on to win the game thanks to the goals from Cristiano Ronaldo on 51 minutes and Bruno Fernandes on 97  minutes. The Seagulls finished the game with ten men after skipper Lewis Dunk received his marching orders for a professional foul.