Gary Neville says Manchester United should soon “end the relationship” with Cristiano Ronaldo, but Roy Keane reckons players “have done worse things” and that the striker is not a “bluffer”.
Ronaldo was dropped by Erik ten Hag for their 1-1 draw at Chelsea after refusing to come on as a late substitute against Tottenham before leaving early during Wednesday’s victory, having walked out before half-time during a pre-season friendly against Rayo Vallecano.
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“Erik ten Hag knows that, so I think the only thing the club and Ronaldo can do is get together in this next week or so and end the relationship. Cristiano is too good a player, too fantastic a character and the club have got to move on.”
‘The game is full of bluffers, he isn’t one’
Ronaldo was unhappy with the watching brief he was handed against Tottenham as goals from Fred and Bruno Fernandes earned a deserved 2-0 victory in what was widely considered United’s best performance of the season.
Sky Sports’ Keane has some sympathy for his former team-mate but is unsure whether there is a way back for Ronaldo at the club.
“I’m trying to see this from the player’s point of view – he’s obviously had enough. He’s lost his head. That has been brewing over the last few weeks,” said Keane.
“I’m going to try and defend him. He’s a human being and has got flaws, feeling frustrated that he’s not getting opportunities and he’s had enough. He walked down the tunnel but players have done worse things at Manchester United – it happens, it’s human nature.
“Everyone was saying after the Spurs game it was Manchester United’s best performance in years. Absolute rubbish. Spurs were terrible. Ronaldo got a hat-trick when United beat Spurs last season at home, so he’s more than capable of getting on the pitch and making a difference.
“He has to take his punishment. Is there a way back for him? I’m not sure. I’d be more worried if he was laughing his head off on the bench and not caring. I think he cares. This game is full of bluffers, he isn’t one. He wants to play. He needs to play, a world-class player. People say he’s not the player he was 10 years ago – of course he’s not, but he was the leading goalscorer for United last season in a really bad United team.
“They asked the manager in the press conference about Ronaldo refusing to come on but they should have asked him when was he going to put him on? Late in the game? I’m not too sure that was a clever move. He has to take his medicine. He’s done something he shouldn’t have done. Can he get back into the team before the World Cup? I don’t see it.”