After Cristiano Ronaldo left the field before the final whistle in the team’s 2-0 victory over Tottenham, Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag declared that he would “deal with” the Portuguese striker. In what was perhaps United’s most comprehensive performance of the season, Ronaldo was an unutilized replacement. Ten Hag tried to stay out of the spotlight when questioned about the incident following the game, but it raises further concerns about the future of the Portugal international.
Erik Ten Hag, the manager of United, will “deal with” Cristiano Ronaldo’s leaving early
The Dutchman admitted, “Today, I don’t pay attention.” Tomorrow, we’ll address it. The emphasis should remain on this group. Every one of the 11 players gave an outstanding performance. For quitting a preseason game against Rayo Vallecano at halftime, Ronaldo’s management chastised him in the summer.
While subsequently stating that his remarks weren’t just directed at the 37-year-old Ronaldo, Ten Hag labelled it as reprehensible. In 12 games this season, Ronaldo has scored only two goals as he struggles to make an impression under Ten Hag.
His decision to sit on the bench against Manchester United on Wednesday seemed to confirm Ten Hag’s concerns about his ability to adapt to his new manager’s high-pressing style. Marcus Rashford started as centre forward, raising more questions about his ability to do so.
A victory for United was gained in the second half thanks to goals from Bruno Fernandes and Fred, bringing the team closer to the top four by one point. Ten Hag tried to steer clear of the matter, but Ronaldo still sparked discussion later. On Amazon Prime Video, retired footballer Alan Shearer remarked, “I understand his upset, but if you look at the wider picture his side has put in a really terrific performance.” It turned out that the management made the proper decision when it mattered most.
The manager has it tough, even when dealing with maybe the finest player we’ve ever seen. The players for tonight should be the focus of his comments, but he’ll be challenged about it. To distract from his former United teammate, Patrice Evra, an Amazon pundit, tried to use humour. He asserted that everyone is special.