Cristiano Ronaldo is a major doubt for Manchester United’s game against Fulham after he missed training due to illness.
Manchester United will take on Fulham in their last Premier League game before the league proceeds on one-month World Cup break. The match is scheduled to kick off at 17:30 later today, November 13, 2022.
Ronaldo is said to have missed United’s training sessions prior to the game because he is reportedly sick. Hence, he may likely stay out of the team that will face Fulham at Craven Cottage tonight.
Recall that Ronaldo did not feature in Manchester United’s 4-2 win over Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup during the week.
The wantaway striker may likely be absent from the Manchester United lineup again after missing the Aston Villa EFL match.
Speaking to Manchester United’s media unit, Erik Ten Hag said he “can’t guarantee” Cristiano Ronaldo will be available for the game after he confirmed his illness.
However, he cleared the air on the severity of the illness, stating it is not severe and he can easily recover from it to make the squad against Fulham.
While the 37-year-old remains a major doubt for the game, Anthony Martial may likely return to the starting lineup.
Also set for a return to the starting lineup is former Ajax star Antony, who has missed a few games before the anticipated one-month break due to injury.
Anthony Martial was already used by Erik Ten Hag in the game against Aston Villa, but Erik Ten Hag has admitted he is still cautious following his return to the team.
Erik Ten Hag stated that Man United still have a problem in the frontline on who to start after Alejandro Garnacho broke into the team and made waves.
The front line dilemma may likely affect the chances of Cristiano Ronaldo in the team following his recent poor rating under Ten Hag.
The return of Anthony Martial will definitely be a problem for the five times Ballon d’Or winner, as Erik Ten Hag will be poised to give Martial the nod over him.
While Ronaldo may like to feature in the Red Devils’ last Premier League game before the World Cup, Portugal may likely want their team captain to rest ahead of the World Cup.
Sitting out the Red Devils’ final fixture before the winter tournament is a major boost for Portugal as it’ll rule out their star man suffering a potential late injury.
The Qatar World Cup is expected to be Ronaldo’s last, and it’s the one trophy that has managed to escape him.
Meanwhile, Manchester United have a tough challenge ahead in the Premier League.
Newcastle’s win over Chelsea at St James Park has finally settled the debate on whether the Magpies are ready for the top-four challenge.
Liverpool have now moved to sixth on the table after the 3-1 win over Southampton. The race for the top-four finish is gradually shaping up.
Manchester United needs nothing less than a win against Fulham if they want to finish strong in the top-four race before the World Cup.
