Cristiano Ronaldo snubbed Gary Neville during the West Ham game on Sunday after the former teammate turned pundit asked Manchester United to end the contract of the Portuguese’s star.
Manchester United hewed out a difficult and narrow 1-0 win over West Ham United at Old Trafford as the Red Devils intensified their push for a top-four finish.
A powerful header by Marcus Rashford four minutes to the end of the second half was enough to secure all three points for the Red Devils.
Erik Ten Hag played Cristiano Ronaldo for the full 90 minutes in the game; the Portuguese’s first Premier League start after being axed off the squad following a fallout with Erik Ten Hag at Old Trafford.
Recall that Cristiano Ronaldo stormed off the pitch during Manchester United’s 2-0 win over Spurs at Old Trafford, attracting criticisms from pundits.
Former Manchester United player turned pundit, Gary Neville was critical of Cristiano Ronaldo’s ‘unacceptable’ behavior during the game.
Erik Ten Hag ‘deal with’ Ronaldo by banishing him from first-team training and excluded him from Manchester United’s squad against Chelsea.
Speaking ahead of Man United’s game against Chelsea, Gary Neville delved into the situation of Cristiano Ronaldo with Erik Ten Hag at Old Trafford.
According to him, that was the second time Cristiano Ronaldo has left Old Trafford before the end of a match, and it is ‘unacceptable.’
Neville asserted that Manchester United can do without Cristiano Ronaldo as things stand, and Erik Ten Hag should move on with the team.
“He’s not playing as great a player as he’s been, Man United are better without him and Erik ten Hag knows that”, the pundit insisted.
Neville further called for Manchester United to end the relationship with the Portuguese star by terminating his contract.
”So I think the only thing that the club and Cristiano can do is get together in this next week or so and end the relationship,” he added.
Gary Neville’s comment must not have sat well with the former Juventus and Real Madrid forward, but finding a way to make his feelings known must have eluded him.
However, the match against West Ham on Sunday gave Ronaldo the opportunity to register his disapproval of Gary Neville’s comment.
Ahead of the game, Ronaldo approached the panel of Sky Sports reporters to greet his former teammate Louis Saha.
After embracing Louis Saha, Ronaldo said a quick hello to Jamie Redknapp and then zoomed off into the pitch and blanked Gary Neville, not exchanging pleasantries with him.
After the incident, Gary Neville joked, “we are off the Christmas list. Aren’t we.?”
Also, James Carragher took to Twitter after Ronaldo snubbed Neville to write: ‘Welcome to the, blanked by Ronaldo club Gary Neville’
Cristiano Ronaldo played the full 90 minutes in the game against West Ham. The Red Devils were less clinical in front of goal, but Ronaldo managed two shots on target.
He was caught up in a largely unimpressive Man United side but was able to help steer the team to a crucial victory over West Ham.
The West Ham game is the last Premier League home game for the Red Devils before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
On Thursday, Manchester United will travel to Spain to take on La Liga club Real Sociedad in the Europa League as they seal their place in the next round of the competition.
