The latest strike takes Ronaldo’s tally to 24 goals for the season, with 18 coming in the Premier League. The remaining six came in the Champions League.
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Manchester United’s season is coming to a disappointing end that will see them finish another campaign without silverware. To make things worse, United will not even be playing Champions League football next season. Despite all the disappointments, the club still managed to find a positive end to their home campaign, beating Brentford 3-0 at Old Trafford on Monday night in the Premier League. Their talismanic striker Cristiano Ronaldo was once again on the scoresheet, as he converted a second-half penalty. He could have had a goal in the first half, but VAR ruled it out as offside.
The latest strike takes Ronaldo’s tally to 24 goals for the season, with 18 coming in the Premier League. The remaining six came in the Champions League. Despite him regularly finding the back of the net this season, some experts blame Ronaldo for Manchester United’s failure. They believe at 37 years of age, the Portuguese forward cannot press and close down opponents a lot. As a result, the experts think this prevents United from playing a high-pressing style. However, former United skipper Roy Keane has backed Ronaldo to stay with the club and keep delivering the goods. He believes the team has bigger problems than Ronaldo to address next season.
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“It [Ronaldo’s signing] was a short-term fix, for the fans, for the share price. But he has still scored the goals,” Keane told Monday Night Football. “Manchester United have bigger problems than Cristiano Ronaldo. I just think with the goals that he has got, his performances warrants staying at the club. But Manchester United have to get players around him, they have to get other strikers in, there has to be competition for places.
“If the leading goalscorer, the man you are depending on, is 37 years of age then that is certainly not good but I would certainly be holding onto Ronaldo. There might be a conversation that needs to be had about the way you are going to play or that you are not going to be playing week in and week out. But why would you get rid of a player who scores that many goals? I don’t see the logic in it.”
Meanwhile, former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, who was also present during the Monday Night Football, told Keane that Ronaldo’s personality may make the job difficult if he is not starting every game. However, the former United midfielder believes both the manager and the player have to look at the bigger picture and address this issue.
“I think a top manager will come in and have that conversation with him and cut that rubbish out, like at Brentford when he is shaking his head 15 minutes after coming off. That is where Ronaldo has to be more mature and be a better leader. Of course you are disappointed when you come off but don’t keep it up for one or two days, that is where you have to sort that maturity out.
“Even Ronaldo has to look at the bigger picture. And when you do have that conversation as a top manager, make it plain to him that won’t be tolerated, if he is not buying into that then you do say, ‘No, you’re not going to be part of my plays. If he is thinking he has to play every minute of every game, that is rubbish at his age anyway.”
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