Anthony Elanga is proving Cristiano Ronaldo right but Manchester United have transfer vindication

When Anthony Elanga missed a decisive penalty in the 2022 FA Cup shoot-out defeat to Middlesbrough, it was Cristiano Ronaldo who had a word in the ear and an arm round the shoulder leaving the pitch.

Fast-forward a couple of months and Ronaldo, having converted an Elanga cross to score against Norwich City in April, celebrated in his iconic style and invited the Swede to join him. When Ronaldo criticised the attitude of young players in general during his explosive interview with Piers Morgan that hastened his United exit, Elanga responded and said he understood where the Portugal great was coming from.

The two shared a position, an outlook and a work ethic, with Ronaldo taking Elanga under his wing during their time together in Manchester. Both have departed over the last 12 months but while Ronaldo's exit spawned headline after headline, Elanga's went a little more under the radar as he moved to Nottingham Forest.

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He's front and centre just now though and comes up against his old club in the form of his career. The 21-year-old was instrumental in the win over Newcastle United last time out and has four goals and five assists for Nuno Espirito Santo's side this season. That's the same Premier League attacking output as Marcus Rashford, Rasmus Hojlund, Antony and Alejandro Garnacho combined.

He's a pivotal player for Forest and his performances have led some to wonder whether United could have utilised him in their side this season given their attacking woes. Those were eased slightly by a 3-2 win over Aston Villa on Boxing Day but question marks remain over the Reds' frontline.

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