Cristiano Ronaldo's return to Man Utd's starting XI will make one player happy
Karan Tejwani
- 11 Aug 2022 15:00 BST
- 3 min read
Cristiano Ronaldo looks likely to make a start against Brentford at the weekend, having come off the bench against Brighton in last weekend’s defeat at Old Trafford.
Erik ten Hag’s reign got off to a tough start in the 2-1 league defeat, and United are short on options in attack, with Christian Eriksen starting as the false nine against the Seagulls.
When Ronaldo came on at half-time, he slotted in as the forward and helped United get a goal, but it wasn’t enough as the Red Devils fell to defeat in the season opener.
Against Brentford, with Anthony Martial still injured and his fitness unclear, it seems as though Ronaldo will lead the line as United look to get into winning ways.
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Eriksen will benefit from Ronaldo's return
United have other options such as Marcus Rashford to play in that role, but it seems as though Ten Hag prefers using him on the wing.
One player who will be happy to see Ronaldo’s return to the team will be Eriksen himself, as he will no longer have to play in that role.
The Dane clearly looked out of place there in his first match for the club and didn’t get many opportunities to impress when leading the line.
When Ronaldo came on and Eriksen dropped back into midfield, he was able to show his qualities, and was one of the best performers wearing a red shirt that day, prompting for calls to continue playing him there.
Over the years, Eriksen has played in a variety of midfield positions: from an attacking role with Ajax and Tottenham, to a deeper, central role with Inter under Antonio Conte.
Christian Eriksen's game by numbers vs. Brighton:
79 touches
43 passes completed
7 long passes
6 crosses
4 tackles
3 chances created
3 shots
United's best player when he dropped to DM. pic.twitter.com/jugisr2nVR— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) August 7, 2022
He’s more suited to that area of the pitch rather than leading the attacking line, and Ronaldo’s return to the team will allow him to continue there.
Ronaldo is still open to a move away from Manchester United, as he looks to spend the final years of his career at a place where he can compete for trophies and play in the Champions League.
The Red Devils, meanwhile, are still looking for attacking reinforcements, targeting players like PSV’s Cody Gakpo and Stuttgart’s Sasa Kalajdzic, in the hope of improving their squad.
