“There was a feeling that he was a bit of a show pony” - Cristiano Ronaldo never really caused Liverpool ‘problems’, says Carragher
Liverpool icon Jamie Carragher has revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo never caused the Reds any problems when he played against them during his first stint in England.
Ronaldo joined Manchester United in 2003 and quickly grew into one of the best wingers in the world. While he started slowly, still a teenager, the Portuguese flourished under Sir Alex Ferguson, guiding the Red Devils to three Premier League titles. He also won the Champions League, the FA Cup, and two League Cups.
However, Ronaldo didn't seem to make much of an impression in the beginning, especially when it came to playing against Liverpool, as Jamie Carragher revealed to Football365:
“Initially when he came over, he just kept doing step-overs with the ball. It was almost like he was a luxury player. He got a bit of criticism when he came to Man United that he was more about looking the part without there being any real substance about him."
The Liverpool icon continued:
“But because everyone used to have so much respect for Sir Alex Ferguson and the way he used to speak about his younger players – he was adamant Ronaldo was going to be a top player. So the fact Ferguson was his manager and kept banging that drum, it made everyone believe it; if Ferguson said it, it must be true."
Carragher finished:
“When he first came in, there was a feeling that he was a bit of a show pony. That was the feeling in the league. But in the back of your head you’re thinking, ‘Is he going to be something special?’ Because he had quality but also who the manager was.”
Cristiano Ronaldo went on to become one of the best players in the history of football, winning five Ballons d'Or, while becoming a Real Madrid hero. Before he left for the Santiago Bernabeu, the forward scored 118 goals in 292 appearances across competitions for the Red Devils.
Cristiano Ronaldo's record against Liverpool across his career
With Cristiano Ronaldo playing in England across two stints for Manchester United, he has met eternal rivals Liverpool on a number of occasions. He faced them 14 times in all competitions, with three of those games coming in the UEFA Champions League while he played for Real Madrid.
His goalscoring record is not at its best against the Merseysiders, as he has only managed three goals against them in his career. However, Ronaldo has rarely lost against the Anfield outfit, especially continentally, where he faced them thrice and beat them thrice.
In the Premier League, Cristiano Ronaldo has faced Liverpool 10 times, beating them six times and losing only three times. In the FA Cup, he faced them just once in a losing effort.