Revealed: The three things Ronaldo must do to save his Man Utd career
FT Desk
- 4 Sept 2022 08:41 BST
- 3 min read
Cristiano Ronaldo has only started one of a possible five Premier League games for Manchester United under new manager Erik ten Hag.
The transfer window slammed shut on Thursday and Ronaldo was still a Man Utd player.
The Portuguese had been linked with half of Europe this summer, his desire to extend his record 140 goals in the Champions League well publicised.
He missed United's pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia, and his one start on the return to domestic action was an abject 4-0 defeat at Brentford - after which he snubbed his manager on the way off the pitch.
🤬 Angry Ronaldo snubs Ten Hagpic.twitter.com/wFI3tck1ci
— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) August 13, 2022
Since then, Ten hag has preferred to have Marcus Rashford lead the line, with Jadon Sancho and Anthony Elanga in support. Asked if Ronaldo has a future at the club ahead of the Arsenal game, he had certain conditions.
'Cooperation, positioning and fitness'
"As we said, Ronaldo is here," Ten Hag explained. "And, as we all know, he didn't have a pre-season. You cannot miss pre-season. It's a base. Especially with the game we play, the way we want to play."
United finished as runners-up to Manchester City under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer the season before Ronaldo returned, and Ten Hag doesn't want a repeat of last season's sixth-placed finish.
"We don't play in the same way we did last year, there is no comparison. This demands cooperation and it demands certain positioning in - and out - of possession. The other thing is his fitness.
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"But it's still early in the season. We have a squad. We have more than 11 players - and that's what you're seeing now."
Ronaldo has scored nine goals in 17 career meetings with Arsenal, as well as providing two assists, but he could find himself on the bench again with the Red Devils having won three consecutive games without him.
