What Erik ten Hag’s new assistant has said about Cristiano Ronaldo, Marcus Rashford and other Manchester United stars

Steve McClaren sealed a return to Manchester United earlier this week when he was appointed as an assistant to new manager Erik ten Hag.

McClaren, who was by Sir Alex Ferguson’s side during United’s treble-winning campaign in 1999, worked with Ten Hag at FC Twente.

Former Ajax coach Mitchell van der Gaag, who was a centre-back during his playing career, has also joined Ten Hag’s coaching team at Old Trafford.

Ten Hag, McClaren and Van der Gaag have signed three-year contracts at United and will hope to fire the club to success following a miserable period.

Manchester United have gone five successive seasons without winning a trophy and recorded their lowest-ever points tally last season, finishing sixth in the Premier League.

McClaren left his last permanent job in 2019 and has been a regular pundit on talkSPORT and Sky Sports since he was sacked by Queens Park Rangers three years ago.

As a result, the 61-year-old has already delivered his verdict on a number of Manchester United players, including club legend Cristiano Ronaldo and struggling forward Marcus Rashford.

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‘Many people are saying that he is the problem but he’s the solution. If Manchester United want to go on and challenge for the league title, win trophies, Ronaldo is the man.

‘They have got to find a way, somehow, to play as a team around him because he has certainly saved them over the last few games.

‘He is the reason why Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is still in a job. He is in the middle of a tough week, he is suffering, as all managers do and this is a massive week for him.

‘It is all about results, not necessarily performances, 3-0 against Spurs, 2-2 at Atalanta