Following criticism from coach Erik ten Hag, Manchester United's wantaway star Cristiano Ronaldo trained with the squad ahead of the Red Devils' Premier League season opener against Brighton this Sunday.
Manchester United's wantaway star Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the fittest athletes in the world, yet after missing a chunk of the Red Devils' pre-season campaign, questions have been raised on the Portuguese icon's preparedness to deliver when the Premier League 2022-23 season kicks off this weekend. The prolific striker played 45 minutes against Rayo Vallecano, and Erik ten Hag faces a dilemma over whether to start him on Sunday versus Brighton.
Given that Anthony Martial will be unable to play in the forthcoming match due to a hamstring injury, Ten Hag may have to think about playing Ronaldo or, at the very least, benching him. However, the Portugal forward has excelled in training this week, according to the Daily Mail. And the striker's recent Instagram post reveals his progress and mood ahead of the campaign opener at Old Trafford.
"Step by step #hardwork," wrote Ronaldo in a post, which showcased the striker's training along with members of the Manchester United squad at Carrington Ground this week. This update on the Portugal icon's Instagram came a day after Ten Hag dubbed the striker's move to leave Old Trafford on Sunday before the final whistle as 'unacceptable'.
Hours later, Ronaldo posted a selfie where the Manchester United icon is all smiles and captioned it, "Mood". Fans rushed to comment on the latest update by the striker, with several noting that he is ready for the season.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner's re-signing by United last summer did not entirely solve the Red Devils' goal-scoring issues. Although he went on to score 24 goals in his comeback season, it was undoubtedly a temporary transfer for the 37-year-old player. Only time will tell if Ronaldo, who expressed his desire to leave the club in June for a shot at Champions League glory, will remain at Old Trafford beyond the summer.
Also read: Ronaldo can fit into Manchester United's plans, but Erik ten Hag has one condition