Erik Ten Hag Claims He Had To Bench ‘Undercooked’ Ronaldo

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Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag claimed he had to leave Cristiano Ronaldo out of the starting 11 due to the forward being ‘undercooked.’

Ronaldo’s omission from the starting side has been of much debate, with the 37-year-old only starting one Premier League game this season.

With a rejuvenated Marcus Rashford playing as a striker, and Antony Martial showing promising signs when fit, Ronaldo’s opportunities have been limited, especially with some disappointing displays in front of goal.

Ronaldo’s future with Manchester United was of much speculation through the summer, with rumours that he wanted to leave, but Manchester United were unable to find a club who wanted his services.

READ HERE: Roy Keane Slams Manchester United Treatment Of Ronaldo

At 37, it’s likely he’s in the twilight of an amazing career, and he is not suited to the high pressing style Erik Ten Hag prefers to implement.

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Speaking ahead of Manchester United’s clash with Omonia Nicosia in the Europa League on Thursday, Erik Ten Hag claimed Ronaldo’s absence from pre-season contributed to his lack of starts.

"I want to get the best out of him!"

Erik ten Hag believes Cristiano Ronaldo will "contribute more to the squad" as he is in "better shape" 🔴⤵️pic.twitter.com/mtBWVLbGpN

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 12, 2022

“I want to support him as good as possible, so we have a certain demand on players, what we expect from him in certain positions on the pitch and what I do is I want to get the best out of him.

He’s coming into better shape now, and I’m happy with that, so he can continue to add more to the squad, and I’m sure he will do. No one can miss a pre-season due to the after affect's."

Ronaldo scored his first Premier League goal of the season, and his 700^th in his club career in the 2-1 victory over Everton.

He came on for the injured Antony Martial, with his injury issues may lead to more playing time for Ronaldo. If Erik Ten Hag is correct and he is coming back to his full fitness, he could be a key player for Manchester United in an important period.