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Cristiano Ronaldo has sent his Manchester United team-mates a message ahead of their Premier League clash with Chelsea on Saturday evening. The blockbuster star has been axed from Erik ten Hag’s matchday squad as a disciplinary measure after refusing to come on as a substitute against Tottenham in midweek and leaving Old Trafford before the match was even over.
Despite not travelling to west London with the Red Devils squad, Ronaldo took to Instagram four hours before kick-off to lend his support to his colleagues. “Let’s go Manchester United,” he wrote before adding in a clapping hands emoji and a flexed bicep emoji. And he accompanied his words with a picture of himself and six team-mates celebrating a recent goal.
Ronaldo has fallen down the United pecking order under new manager Ten Hag and has only started three top-flight matches this term. The 37-year-old has been overlooked in favour of Marcus Rashford in recent weeks. And the ace faced the wrath of his boss on Thursday following his decision to storm out of Old Trafford the previous evening.
United had secured a valuable 2-0 victory against Spurs courtesy of goals from Fred and Bruno Fernandes. And ahead of their clash with Chelsea, they had climbed to fifth in the Premier League table.
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“Especially in top sport – it is about today. It is not about age or reputation. When you are in top sport you get judged by the moment and how you act – that’s normal. We have to be aware of that, everyone, not only Cristiano – as a team, as a manager and as a club. He has to live as anyone else along certain standards and the standards we set this season.”
But when questioned about a potential departure for Ronaldo during the January transfer window, Ten Hag added: “That is speculation. I count on Cristiano [until the end of the season].”
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