“So then Cristiano is the leader”- Erik ten Hag takes dig at Cristiano Ronaldo despite naming him Manchester United’s leader

“So then Cristiano is the leader”- Erik ten Hag takes dig at Cristiano Ronaldo despite naming him Manchester United’s leader

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has acknowledged that Cristiano Ronaldo was his fourth choice to lead the team against Aston Villa on Sunday. Unexpectedly, Ronaldo, who has already run into trouble with disciplinary action this season with Ten Hag, was selected United’s captain for the trip to Villa Park, which resulted in a shocking 3-1 loss on Unai Emery’s return to the Premier League.

Ten Hag gave an explanation of how Ronaldo got the starting nod following the game. “Harry Maguire is on the bench, our captain of the club,” he began. “Then it is about David de Gea who is a leader but is a goalie and is far away from the outfield. Then Casemiro is the leader but he is not speaking perfect English so then Cristiano is the leader.”

https://youtu.be/VPZOwy-4D3s

Ronaldo played the 90 minutes, finishing the game in the United attack alongside Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford, but he was unable to influence the outcome as United suffered their first loss in ten games.

Read More: Virgil van Dijk doesn’t see this Liverpool legend Making into the current Squad

Manchester United refused to put all the blame over Cristiano Ronaldo

Alejandro Garnacho and Cristiano Ronaldo

Ten Hag refrained from blaming Ronaldo for the outcome and attributed the loss on United’s sluggish start in both half. “We lose the game at the start of the first half and second half, that is unacceptable,” he told BBC Sport. “They looked fresher, more ready. The result is clear, it never lies. In football, you always get your own earnings. Today we were not good enough.”

“After a long time this has happened, I said it was up to us. We didn’t keep the ball, we didn’t get the right organisation, didn’t follow the rules and lost battles. Our players have experience. You have to read the game, get the right organisation and not concede two goals. That was totally unnecessary. We need to be sharper. You have to be compact and stand on the ball. Everyone has to win their own battles, we didn’t, that is disappointing.”

Also Read: What is Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp’s ‘Seven Season Curse?’

Also Read: “They’ve gotten old”- Football pundit blasts off at Liverpool after the defeat against Leeds United