Cristiano Ronaldo did something unusual at full-time. He strolled towards the travelling Manchester United supporters and applauded them in defeat.
Whenever an espionage agent enters a room they immediately check for its exits and it became a recurring theme of last season's monthly crises that Ronaldo would vanish from the pitch within seconds of the full-time shrill.
The Ronaldo of last season is a different beast from this season. That Ronaldo railed whenever his cage was rattled whereas this one appears more about brand management than game management.
