After a World Cup filled with flashes of brilliance and being blamed by the English for influencing the sending-off of Wayne Rooney against Portugal in the quarterfinals, Cristiano Ronaldo knows exactly what to expect from England’s club supporters in the Premier League this season: boos, whistling, ridicule, the occasional projectile. England’s new scapegoat got a taste of all that on Tuesday, when Manchester United traveled to Kassam Stadium to play Oxford United. His every stumble greeted with glee from the opposing supporters, Ronaldo was forced to live through a tepid start to his fourth season with Manchester United. However, two goals and an assist later, in dominating performance from the Old Trafford club, it looked as though the young winger may come out of all this on top on his game, much like another famous Manchester United number 7 after the 1998 World Cup eight years ago. Ronaldo is a hated man for a different reason than David Beckham was after France 1998: he plays for Potugal, the enemy, and he, England supporters believe, was instrumental in convincing the referee to send off his United teammate after Rooney stomped on groin of Ricardo Carvalho. England fans will not forget the manner in which he rushed over to referee Horatio Elizondo to make sure he hadn’t missed Rooney’s crime, nor will they forget the way winked to the bench immediately following his sending-off. Oxford coach Jim Smith is reported to have told his players to go easy on Ronaldo and his United teammates in this preseason friendly. And they did so their own peril. Said a pleased Man U boss Alex Ferguson: “The important thing was to get the World Cup players back. Cristiano, in his first game back, took his goals well and I thought he handled the whole thing very well.”