Manchester United were blessed last season with the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo who scored more goals than the other stars at the club in half a season but is the new manager, Erik Ten Hag playing a dangerous game of taming Ronaldo?
If that is the case, it risks being a slippery road both for the club and for Ten Hag because putting Ronaldo out of action means Manchester United is not interested in the superstar.
Watching the match and video clips from YouTube will show that there might be some tensions among the players.
A video showing Ronaldo getting on the field to replace marcus Rashford during the Liverpool game could signal a cold is brewing between both players.
Rashford did not show any love or care for Ronaldo when he stepped out of the field, some say.
With the UK media being pitiless towards Ronaldo, attacking him almost everyday for some reason, there appears to be a sudden change of heart at the top of the management team at Manchester United.
While the fans are more than happy to get Ronaldo on the pitch to try score the amazing goals and deliver great passes to his teammates, the management under Ten Hag is playing a different ball game.
All the pundits across the EPL are asking why did Ten Hag leave Ronaldo on the bench for 86 minutes before he allowed the superstar to set foot on the Old Trafford ground against Liverpool.
Ten Hag’s answers are as vague as incomprehensible. But it might be because of the aforementioned friction among players.
There is a very popular video on Instagram in which a former superstart at Man Utd, the Frenchman Patrice Evra, dismisses claims that Marcus Rashfod is as good as Ronaldo.
“Nobody should ever ask such a question. This player cannot even touch the ankle of Ronaldo,” says a clearly offended Evra when asked to play the Past & present ?who would you pick? comparison game.
He says what we can compare is the Ronaldo of today and the Ronaldo then, that is when the latter was playing for Man Utd before he left for Real Madrid.
The ex-French International is recognized as one of the best left-backs in the world and is only rivalled by Chelsea and England’s Ashley Cole.
Ronaldo at 37 is probably slower than before but he is as deadly as ever and any team in the world would want to have him in their frontline to kick the ball in the net.
This is what is missing at Man Utd, that is a great player who can kick the ball in the net every time he gets the chance. But wait a minute? Is Ronaldo not playing for Manchester United?
Perhaps Ten Hag is not aware of Ronaldo’s talents or he is so pissed-off as coach that Ronaldo was given exclusive treatment during the lame pre-season games?
It is an interesting drama that is unfolding at the struggling Manchester club where Sir Alex Fergusson is clearly in favour of Ronaldo staying and playing at the club to save it, perhaps, from relegation this season.
But Sir ETH seems adamant that he will have to tame Ronaldo who was seen encouraging the team when they scored against Liverpool.
Ten Hag risks the worst fate at Man Utd if he continues to show that he prefers some players to others.