Cristiano Ronaldo is a player that will always be there for us. With his wastefulness in front of goal and an evident lack of confidence, he has been a nuisance to the Manchester United team in recent weeks.

He remains the most lethal finisher in the history of the men's game, even when he is not performing at his peak. With yet another performance that defied logic on Saturday evening, everything came together for him after several weeks of squandered opportunities. For 90 minutes at the very least, Cristiano Ronaldo was anything but a headache.

There are several ways in which inevitability works. The 37-year-old is beginning to show signs of his age, and he is still not a long-term option for a team that is still some years away from becoming a serious contender for the Premier League crown. However, it's possible that they already have a solution.
While the brilliance of hat-trick hero Cristiano Ronaldo was the highlight of the weekend win over Tottenham, Manchester United's victory was as much about the sustained performance of Jadon Sancho and his rise as the club's most consistent player as it was about Ronaldo.

When Sancho had a sluggish start to the season, it was always ludicrous to write him off, partly due to the fact that he wasn't being considered as an overseas newcomer due to his nationality, he was written off even more. Instead, the 21-year-old need time to adjust to the Premier League and the tremendous physical demands placed on him before he could be fairly assessed. He is currently experiencing the benefits of his efforts.

Interim manager Ralf Rangnick's faith in the England international from the moment he arrived at Old Trafford was another important factor in his recent metamorphosis.

It never felt like Sancho had the same faith in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who reverted to type with his risk-averse team selections and didn't give the winger the same unanimity of support during his rocky first few months in Manchester United's first season under the Norwegian manager.

In the first season under Rangnick, Sancho has established himself as the first name on the team sheet, and he was unlucky not to be nominated for Premier League Player of the Month in either January or February, such has been his level of performance as one of the most dangerous attacking players in the division. Having provided the assist that led to Ronaldo's second goal on Saturday evening, Sancho now has one goal and three assists in four league outings this season, though his effect has gone far beyond goal contributions.

When he receives the ball, the former Dortmund winger exudes such clear self-assurance that he is providing much-needed composure and intelligence in the last third of the field. In his pre-season press conference, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer warned that United were attacking with too much speed, an issue that caused forwards to run into blind alleys and hurry their decisions. With his methodical approach, the in-form winger has provided a solution to that problem.

If Sancho ever finds himself with the ball in the final third and finds himself isolated, he is not afraid to slow things down and look to hold up play in order to bring teammates into the attack, a refreshing characteristic that helps to maintain possession while allowing for a greater number of players to join him in the attack.

With a passing accuracy of 90 percent and seven successful ball recoveries to his credit, Sancho concluded the encounter against Tottenham with four ground duels won and four chances created, further demonstrating his overall contribution to the team's performances.

This type of overall performance demonstrates that the England international possesses the necessary skills to be the team's primary offensive threat on a consistent basis. And, despite the fact that he is only 21 years old, he has the potential to be the main man for United for the better part of a decade.

It's because he could be around for a long time that the £73 million spent on him last summer looks like a good deal. Although he still has a long way to go before he is even close to repaying the loan, he certainly has the attitude and characteristics to make it appear like a bargain.

It was his turn on Saturday night to serve as a supporting act to Cristiano Ronaldo as the main attraction, but in the years to come, fans can anticipate it to be Sancho who steals the show with his own match-winning medley.

In addition to providing a look of who will be taking over as the current No. 7, the weekend belonged to the current No. 7.