The home crowd boos that greeted every Cristiano Ronaldo touch for the second successive match said far more about the collective ignorance of misguided Watford supporters than the perceived guilt of the Manchester United winger.
Charlton fans let rip at Ronaldo on Wednesday and the Vicarage Road faithful followed suit on Saturday as the visitors made it three wins out of three with a victory far more comfortable than the scoreline suggests.
The anti-Ronaldo mood had been set by initial media hysteria, with some senior England internationals anxious to improve book sales subsequently putting the printed boot into the Portugal player, who was no more than a bit-part player as Wayne Rooney was sent off during the World Cup quarter-final.
Rooney, dismissed at Gelsenkirchen for stamping on Ricardo Carvalho's groin, was quick to stress that he held no grudge and that Ronaldo had done nothing to affect his dismissal. But better to blame Johnny Foreigner than the English culprit, so a wonderful talent who lights up the Premiership as few other players can became the guilty party.
Ronaldo provides entertainment and an unpredictable skill that English football should covet, not condone with boring if predictable booing. Once again he was a delight to watch as United made hard work of beating a spirited but limited Watford team.