Former Manchester United and DC United manager Wayne Rooney has weighed into the plight of Cristiano Ronaldo under new manager Erik Ten Hag.
Wayne Rooney maintained that everyone runs the race against time; that Cristiano Ronaldo is obviously not the same player he was when he was 22-year-old.
According to Wayne Rooney, time catches up with everyone and Ronaldo must exercise patience after his poor start at Old Trafford this season.
Wayne Rooney attributed Ronaldo’s sluggish start to the season to a different game plan adopted by Manchester United’s new manager Erik Ten Hag.
“The manager’s has a different plan on how they’re playing and to be successful,” Rooney told reporters on Friday.
It is pertinent to note that under former interim manager, Ralf Rangnick, Ronaldo gave a better performance in his return to the Old Trafford.
He scored 24 goals in all competitions for the Red Devils and was key in the team’s ability to make it to the top six.
The five times Ballon d ‘Or winner fell out with Erik Ten Hag pattern after he failed to join the team in their preseason overseen by the Dutch tactician.
On return to Carrington, Ronaldo struggled to fit into Erik Ten Hag’s deep press pattern, with the new manager complaining of his fitness and ability to adapt to the squad.
Wayne Rooney also considered age as a factor in the poor performance of Cristiano Ronaldo.
According to him, Cristiano Ronaldo is not the same player he was when he was 22 or 23-year-old.
The Premier League and Manchester United legend argued that time catches up with everyone; that Ronaldo may be losing it to fetters of age too.
“He’s not the same player he was when he was 22 or 23. It’s definitely tough for him”, Wayne Rooney said.
Rooney’s age factor leaves much to be desired and is debatable. There is not much difference between Ronaldo, that scored 24 goals last season, and the Ronaldo, that is yet to record a Premier League goal this season.
The Portuguse is finding it a bit difficult gelling into Erik Ten Hag’s new formula and tactical plan at Old Trafford.
Nevertheless, Wayne Rooney did not rule out the possibility of a revitalised Cristiano Ronaldo. According to him, Cristiano Ronaldo can still emerge stronger from this big slide.
“Cristiano and Messi are no doubt two of the greatest players in football history, he can return stronger”, Rooney noted.
“Knowing him, it is hard for him to sit on the bench. I’m sure if he’s patient, his chance will come and it’s then he must take those chances and not force his way in.”
Cristiano Ronaldo has only started one Premier League match for Manchester United this season.
He has spent more time on the bench except only Europa League games, in which he has started all three matches, scoring only one goal.
Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo were top frontline strikers under Sir Alex Ferguson before Ronaldo left for Real Madrid in 2009 on a record £80m deal.
Erik Ten Hag benched Cristiano Ronaldo in Manchester United’s 6-3 defeat to Manchester City at Etihad.
He was widely criticized for the decision to bench the five times Ballon d ‘Or winner in such a high-profile game.
Responding to critics, the former Ajax manager maintained that he took the decision out of respect for Ronaldo’s career.
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored just one goal for Manchester United this season in a Europa League game against Sheriff Tiraspol in Moldova.
