‘Ronaldo has Man United future despite Liverpool axe’

Ten Hag insists Cristiano Ronaldo nonetheless has a future at Manchester United after the Portugal star suffered the embarrassment of being dropped for his facet’s rousing 2-1 win towards Liverpool.

United regarded much more dynamic with out Ronaldo as they shocked Liverpool to finish a dismal run of two successive defeats initially of the Premier League season.

With the ageing Ronaldo diminished to a substitute look within the closing minutes at Previous Trafford on Monday, United have been lastly capable of efficiently deploy Ten Hag’s aggressive sport plan.

Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Anthony Elanga fashioned an attacking triumvirate that gave United the tempo and vitality they lacked within the 2-1 defeat towards Brighton and the following 4-0 humiliation at Brentford.

Vindicating Ten Hag’s determination to axe Ronaldo and igniting recent debate about his future, it was Sancho who scored United’s opener and Rashford who doubled their lead.

After lacking United’s pre-season tour because of “household causes” amid studies he had advised the membership he wished to go away, Ronaldo was already unsettled heading into the brand new season.

United’s failure to qualify for this season’s Champions League satisfied Ronaldo he ought to stop a membership with out a main trophy since 2017, giving Ten Hag a serious headache simply weeks after his arrival from Ajax.

However, with United insisting Ronaldo isn’t on the market, the previous Actual Madrid and Juventus striker has discovered himself in limbo.

The 37-year-old, who completed as United’s high scorer final time period, hardly appeared dedicated to the Ten Hag regime when he walked out of Previous Trafford earlier than full-time after being substituted throughout a pre-season pleasant towards Rayo Vallecano.

A limp substitute look within the second half of the Brighton defeat was additional proof of a possible rift between the five-time Ballon d’Or winner and his supervisor.

Ronaldo performed your entire 90 minutes of United’s loss towards Brentford, however he provided little attacking risk in one of many membership’s worst ends in current reminiscence.

Tough selections

That left Ten Hag with a serious determination to make as he contemplated his workforce for the essential conflict with Liverpool.

Dropping Ronaldo after which watching United lose to their arch rivals would have put big strain on Ten Hag.

However the Dutch coach refused to be cowed by the scenario as he not noted by Ronaldo and England defender Harry Maguire, a daring transfer that paid dividends as United climbed out of the relegation zone with their first win this season.

Now United have gained impressively with out Ronaldo — certainly consigning him to the bench for the speedy future — there might be recent impetus from the striker and his agent Jorge Mendes to drive by means of a switch.

It’s arduous to think about Ronaldo with the ability to adapt to Ten Hag’s high-tempo philosophy within the twilight of his profession.

However, publicly not less than, Ten Hag is adamant Ronaldo has an element to play in his plans.

“I believe he can. In his complete profession he did it below a number of managers, in a number of kinds and programs. He at all times carried out so why can’t he do that? His age isn’t a problem,” Ten Hag mentioned after the Liverpool sport.

“We have now a squad and we’ve got a approach of taking part in, a method and a sport plan. You have a look at what’s the greatest method to the sport. At the moment it was these gamers, Saturday it might be completely different.”

In Ronaldo’s absence, United’s defiant angle towards Liverpool supplied the template for the Ten Hag period.

New signing Casemiro, recruited from Actual Madrid, epitomises that spirit and Ten Hag desires to see the identical from Ronaldo.

“We have been speaking about management, at this time we had management on the pitch, he’s one as effectively,” Ten Hag mentioned of Casemiro.

“Ronaldo has it, so that you want some and it’s like steering for younger gamers who didn’t obtain the trophies.”

Pressed on Ronaldo and Maguire’s future, Ten Hag added: “I don’t have to say Harry Maguire and Ronaldo, they’re superb gamers and they’re going to play a task sooner or later, the brief (time period) future as effectively.

“It’s at all times troublesome (to go away them out) however I’ve selections to make.”

Whether or not that olive department is sufficient to cease the Ronaldo dilemma from derailing Ten Hag’s United revolution stays to be seen.

 

AFP