The manager of Manchester United, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has insisted that he is not under pressure to always play the club’s returnee, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Cristiano Ronaldo returned to Manchester United on the last day of the 2021 summer transfer window when he had just a season left on this contract with Juventus.
Recall that the 36-year-old Portuguese star played at Manchester United between 2003 and 2009 before he left for Real Madrid. Between 2003 and 2021, Cristiano Ronaldo has won 5 Ballon d’Or and five UEFA Champions League which makes him the biggest figure at Old Trafford.
With such prestige, most pundits believe that it might be difficult for coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer who played alongside Ronaldo between 2003 and 2007 at United, to keep the Portuguese star on the bench when he is fit to play.
Ronaldo made that looked more difficult when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer started him against Newcastle United on Saturday, September 11, 2021. The Portuguese football icon did not disappoint, he scored two important goals in United’s 4-1 win.
When @Cristiano speaks, you listen! 🧠🗣#MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) September 12, 2021
With such a performance, it was looking like Ronaldo would be indispensable for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s plans as the Portuguese forward has declared that he didn’t come to Manchester for vacation.
But Solskjaer said: “No, it’s not impossible to leave him out. He is 36.
“Mason (Greenwood) is 19, so it’s the same. I have to manage his minutes and I have to manage a 36-year-old’s minutes as well.”
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said the addition of Cristiano Ronaldo and Raphael Varane has raised everyone’s eyebrows
Before the end of this summer transfer window, Manchester United brought in former Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane which has added a huge boost to the club’s defense.
Also, the addition of Ronaldo in the club’s attack has made the Premier League giants one of the favorites for the Premier League title this season.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said the reason why the addition of Cristiano Ronaldo and Raphael Varane is a standard booster for his team is that the two players are winners.
“I think seeing Raphael and Cristiano coming has raised everyone’s eyebrows because they are winners.
“They have won everything there is to win and they put demands on themselves which the young boys, the rest of the team, look at and think that is how you stay at the top. So it is only going to be good for everyone.”
On Jesse Lingard’s performance which earned him a goal last weekend, Solskjaer said: “Jesse has had his hard times and he is a lovely boy – or man now.
“He was allowed to go out to find himself. I could have kept him because I know how good a player he is but he showed everyone with West Ham and England what kind of player he is.
“It was a special day for him, coming back and scoring a goal in front of the fans. He is a Man United kid. He has grown up with the Man United kit on since he was a baby, so I am so pleased for him.”
Manchester United are currently sitting at the top of the Premier League table with 10 points in four games. They will be in action against Young Boys in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, at 17:45.
