Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag insists Cristiano Ronaldo can still lead the line for the majority of this season. Ronaldo has started one of United's six Premier League games this season, having played only 45 minutes across their six pre-season matches.
The 37-year-old started in the 4-0 thrashing by Brentford on August 13 but was dropped for the breakthrough win over Liverpool nine days later and has not started since. Read more: Appearances made by United's English players amid Bailly claims Ronaldo is likely to return to the starting XI in the opening Europa League group game against Real Sociedad on Thursday night and Ten Hag would have no hesitation in recalling the Portuguese. "He started against Brentford.
Then not since but he is ready to start," he reiterated. "Maybe I cannot keep all [of the players] happy every game but everyone gets their game-time if they perform well, quite clear. "We need everyone, we have a lot of games to cover in front of us, it's not only the national teams and the World Cup but the cups in England, the Europa League, the League Cup and, of course, the Premier League." Marcus Rashford has scored three goals in the last four games, claiming two assists, after his agent and brother met Paris Saint-Germain officials at the start of last month.
The 24-year-old is technically into the last year of his contract but United have the option of an additional year they are expected to trigger before the end of the January transfer window.