What Should Manchester United Do With Cristiano Ronaldo After He Walked Down The Tunnel Against Tottenham BETAThis is a BETA experience. You may opt-out by clicking here

More From Forbes

Oct 22, 2022,07:06am EDTNapoli’s Stanislav Lobotka, Serie A’s Own Andres IniestaOct 21, 2022,08:31pm EDTTexas Rangers Lure Bruce Bochy Out Of Retirement To Manage 2023 ClubOct 21, 2022,06:33pm EDTJay Wright, Tapped For College Basketball TV Gig, Will Eventually ‘Try’ Coaching In The NBA, Rick Pitino SaysOct 21, 2022,04:56pm EDTFor Philadelphia Eagles, Even 6-0 ‘Isn’t Good Enough’Oct 21, 2022,02:56pm EDTBill Belichick Is Glad New England Patriots Have A ‘Second Time Around’ With Jahlani TavaiOct 21, 2022,02:51pm EDTUCLA Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson Looking To Continue Strong Season Against OregonOct 21, 2022,02:03pm EDTSan Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey Trade Is Both A Short- And Long-Term MoveEdit StorySportsMoney

What Should Manchester United Do With Cristiano Ronaldo After He Walked Down The Tunnel Against Tottenham

Liam CanningContributorOpinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.I cover the Premier League and other fascinating stories in EuropeFollowingNew! Follow this author to stay notified about their latest stories. Got it!Oct 22, 2022,09:01am EDTNew! Click on the conversation bubble to join the conversation Got it!Share to Facebook Share to TwitterShare to LinkedinMANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 19: Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United warms up on the touchline ... [+] during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on October 19, 2022 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)Getty Images While Manchester United emphatically came away with the three points against Tottenham Hotspur during the midweek fixtures, the attention quickly turned to the antics and fallout with Cristiano Ronaldo. After reportedly refusing to come on as a substitute, the Portuguese superstar decided to leave the dugout early and head down the tunnel in what was blatant disrespect to his teammates and club. Ronaldo also left Old Trafford swiftly afterwards and did not join in the post-match celebrations. Erik Ten Hag subsequently came out to the media to downplay any ramifications and focus on the important result that they had just recorded, but it was among everyone’s lips – selfishly taking away what was the team’s best performance in years. A day later and Manchester United released a statement to state that Ronaldo would not be in the match-day squad for Chelsea on the weekend. It was reported shortly afterwards that Ronaldo would also be removed from the first-team training sessions and placed in the reserves. Manchester United's Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during the warm up prior to the ... [+] English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on October 19, 2022. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)AFP via Getty Images MORE FOR YOU

They Inherited Billions Upon Billions Meet America s Richest Heirs

How To Turn Relationships Into New Client Revenue

Recession Odds Hit 100% And This 7 3% Dividend Can t Wait

There is no debating among Manchester United fans the adoration they have for Ronaldo, and how important he was last season in terms of his goal-scoring efforts, but there is an acceptance that the Red Devils are now better without. When Ronaldo is shoe-horned into the team, the overall play worsens. Less presses, less distance covered, less authority given to individuals just by Ronaldo’s presence of being in the line-up. There is, instead, an over compensation of trying to work the ball to the centre forward to appease him. Erik Ten Hag has come in this summer and stamped his authority on the team from the off. The Dutchman has put together his idea of a pressing system that relies on the sum of all parts to be greater than one. Ronaldo, at his age and natural physical decline, clearly cannot operate from the front with the type of energy that Ten Hag needs from his side. And with the antics in the summer over wanting to leave the club, there was no need for the manager to shoe-horn Ronaldo into the side from the off. After the first two disastrous results, Ten Hag has seen an uprising in his team’s performances and results have followed. Manchester United look a better outfit for it and are covering far more ground, well over 100km per-game, than they had earlier on in the campaign. MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 17: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United in ... [+] action during a first team training session at Carrington Training Ground on October 17, 2022 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)Manchester United via Getty Images Ten Hag has stated that Ronaldo is firmly in his plans for the rest of the season and will be recalled to first team training, but needed to make a statement that carries weight throughout the whole squad. However, privately, what has happened this week has only aided Ten Hag behind the scenes in being strong on his belief that Manchester United need a new centre forward that is full of energy and age on his side. Ronaldo provides a headache both on and off the pitch for Manchester United. He might be profitable from a commercial standpoint, but if he is on the pitch, the team play worse for it, and if he is on the bench and away from it, there are major distractions and tantrums that is prohibiting the club’s progress. For all parties, a split in January works well providing Manchester United can bring someone in for the rest of the campaign. The distractions cannot continue and Ronaldo does not get away with it as much given his limiting performances this season. Liam Canning Editorial StandardsPrintReprints & Permissions