Ten Hag dropped Ronaldo because he believes the 45 minutes he played in preseason, will not get him fit enough to start their season’s opener
By Kehinde Okeowo
Manchester United gaffer, Erik ten Hag will drop soccer star, Cristiano Ronaldo to the bench, when his side takes on Brighton Albion on Sunday at Old Trafford.
According to The Sun, his decision may not be unconnected to the fact that the Portugal international did not participate in the club’s pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia.
The 37-year-old former Real Madrid and Juventus star only featured in the 1-1 draw pre-season friendly against Rayo Vallecano for the Red Devils so far.
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Erik ten Hag believes the 45 minutes he played against the Spanish opposition will not be enough to bring his fitness up to speed for Uniteds’ season opener.
The coach has, therefore, opted for the likes of Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial in the attack.
The trio worked well together during pre-season, and all scored in a 3-1 win over Crystal Palace in July.
The report further indicated that Ronaldo being kept on the bench may not be enough to silence speculation surrounding his future at the Manchester club.
