Ronaldo’s goal a reward for his tenacity, says Ten Hag
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag said Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal in Thursday’s 3-0 Europa League win over Sheriff Tiraspol was a fitting reward for his persistence after money Portuguese leader returned to the team after disciplinary issues.
Ronaldo trained away from the team last weekend and was left out of the squad for their Premier League trip to Chelsea on Saturday after being dropped for refusing to come on as a substitute against Tottenham Hotspur.
But he marked his return by scoring United’s third after Diogo Dalot and Marcus Rashford overcame them for a place in the knockout stages of Europe’s second-tier club competition. Europe.
“He continues to go to his rightful place. He didn’t give up, I think that’s what his whole career went through, that’s why he’s so good,” said Ten Hag.
“In the end, he got the reward he deserved. The pressure is always there. Ronaldo knows that and we have to deal with it. All United players know that. All top scorers need that, every moment, confirmation they can.
“Tonight, again, he got his confirmation and he’s going to grow from there. He is hungry. He plays with desire and wants to score goals, the more the better. He has to invest a lot and the team also has to invest a lot to put him in the right position.”
Ten Hag says he’s ready to “correct” Antony after the Brazil forward was shot for showing off with a 720-degree spin before hitting the ball out of the way for a tee-up.
Ten Hag said: “I have no problem with the tricks as long as they work, and added that his retreating forward at halftime had nothing to do with the move.
“I demand more of him – more runs behind, more often in the box and more play in the pocket. When there’s a trick, that’s great as long as it’s functional. If you don’t lose the ball, that’s fine, but if it’s a trick, I’ll fix him.”
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