Former Manchester United star Gary Neville has claimed Cristiano Ronaldo ought to have publicly supported Ole Gunnar Solskjaer when the going obtained robust within the 2021-22 season. The Englishman additional claimed that the onus was on the Portuguese to steer the squad, however he didn’t reply the decision.
Ronaldo returned to Manchester United for a second spell firstly of the 2021-22 season and made an instantaneous influence. He scored a brace in his second Premier League debut, propelling the Purple Devils to a 4-1 victory over Newcastle United. Nonetheless, the great feeling didn’t final lengthy.
The Portuguese legend often expressed frustration when substituted, and infamously stormed off after a 1-1 draw with Everton in October 2021, having began the sport on the bench.
Gary Neville Explains How Cristiano Ronaldo Let Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Down
Neville believes Ronaldo ought to have been extra supportive of Solskjaer, who was an integral a part of Manchester United’s Treble-winning 1998-99 marketing campaign. On the Follow Soccer podcast, the ex-fullback mentioned (through GOAL):
“Once I noticed Ronaldo on the bench and he was doing these issues to the digicam, it was robust. Clearly after the Everton sport, when Ole left him out that first time and I keep in mind he walked off, and I felt that was letting Ole down as a result of he was an ex-teammate.
“He’s an important participant, an immovable object when it comes to what he’s achieved, however I assumed he ought to have been with Ole as his ally within the dressing room, particularly from the occasions we had as gamers collectively within the dressing room.”
Neville concluded by including:
“I needed him to step up and be the chief within the dressing room, however he didn’t, and that’s why we had been conflicted with the state of affairs.”
Following large defeats to Leicester Metropolis, Liverpool, Manchester Metropolis, and, lastly, Watford, Solskjaer was relieved of his duties as supervisor. Hansi Flick got here on as an interim substitute earlier than Erik ten Hag took the reigns in July 2022.
Cristiano Ronaldo fell out with Ten Hag within the 2022-23 season and ultimately left the membership following an explosive Piers Morgan interview in November. Throughout his second Manchester United spell, the 39-year-old performed 54 video games in all competitions, scoring 27 objectives and claiming 5 assists.
