How Man Utd could line up with Ronaldo against Newcastle

Stefan Bienkowski

10 Sept 2021 09:49 BST
3 min read

Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo — © ProShots

Cristiano Ronaldo could be set to make his official return to Manchester United on Saturday when the club hosts Newcastle United in the Premier League.

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The Portugal international re-joined Man Utd in the last few days of the transfer window but had, until this week, been on international duty with his nation.

Ronaldo was able to return early and as such has had the opportunity to train with his new club and perhaps convince Ole Gunnar Solskjaer that he’s ready to hit the ground running on Saturday.

“Of course I will be nervous on Saturday, but I'm more mature, more experienced,” said Ronaldo in a press conference this week. “I will be prepared. I'm going to put pressure on Ole now, to be in the starting eleven! So I'm ready, I'm ready to go.”

So if Ronaldo does indeed earn a starting spot in Man Utd’s XI on Saturday, how will Solskjaer’s team look?

A simply 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 mood 🤩

🤝 @Cristiano #MUFC | #RonaldoReturns pic.twitter.com/o0ifX9vpI0
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) September 9, 2021

How Man Utd could line up with Ronaldo

Fans of the Red Devils will be delighted to read that the club have a relatively clean bill of health in defence, which should see David de Gea in goals and a back four of Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire, Raphael Varane and Arron Wan-Bissaka from left to right.

However, issues do arise in midfield where Scott McTominay and Fred are out of action, which will likely mean a duo of Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba in the middle of the pitch, with Bruno Fernandes at N.10.

To accommodate Ronaldo, Solskjaer may task Mason Greenwood with taking up a spot on the wing. Although it isn’t the young forward’s preferred position, it would allow the new signing to take up the No.9 role, while Jadon Sancho looks set to start again on the left flank.