"Always start with your best player" - Sir Alex Ferguson on Manchester United leaving Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench
Former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has expressed his opinion on the Red Devils deciding to leave Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench during their game against Everton. Surprisingly, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer named an interesting line-up during the Premier League clash on Saturday.
Both Cristiano Ronaldo and Paul Pogba started on the bench as Edinson Cavani and Anthony Martial were given opportunities from the beginning. Although the Red Devils took the lead through Martial in the 43rd minute, they ended up conceding an equalizer from Andros Townsend in the 65th minute.
Despite coming off the bench eight minutes prior to Everton restoring parity, Cristiano Ronaldo was unable to ensure Manchester United walked away with maximum points.
The result meant that Manchester United are now two league games without a win. Understandably, Cristiano Ronaldo was visibly frustrated at the end of the game. The Portuguese stormed off the pitch without acknowledging the Old Trafford faithful.
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Since the incident, Sir Alex Ferguson has been recorded expressing his opinion on the situation. In a candid conversation with former UFC Lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, Ferguson stated:
"You should always start with your best player."
Cristiano Ronaldo enjoyed a memorable first stint with Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson
It was under the astute guidance of Sir Alex Ferguson that Cristiano Ronaldo laid the foundation for his successful career. The forward was snapped up from Sporting Lisbon back in 2003 and has since entered Manchester United folklore.
Notably, the Portuguese won several trophies, including three Premier League titles and the Champions League, during his first stint at Old Trafford. Cristiano Ronaldo also received his first Ballon d'Or award in 2008 before leaving for Real Madrid the following year.
Cristiano Ronaldo is Manchester United’s TOP scorer this season with 5 goals in 6 games. https://t.co/6FWTZNyaC2
Undoubtedly, he remains one of the greatest ever players in the history of the club. As such, excitement was over the roof when Manchester United announced Cristiano Ronaldo's return earlier this summer. Since making his comeback to Old Trafford, the 36-year-old has netted five goals in six games across all competitions.
Despite achieving unparalleled success across Europe in club football, the desire and hunger to succeed remains the same within Cristiano Ronaldo. Following his return to Manchester United, he stressed on a determination to help the club get back to their glory days.
By his own admission, Cristiano Ronaldo did not return to Manchester United just for a holiday. He wants to make a difference and is understandably gutted when he misses out on games like Saturday's against Everton.