Since Greenwood suffered off-field troubles and Cavani was injured, Cristiano Ronaldo has almost become United's only option in the centre forward position. While Rashford can make a cameo appearance, with his poor performances this season, Lonnick is unlikely to get him to start. So, from United's 1-1 draw with Southampton to the 27th round of a 0-0 draw with Watford, Cristiano Ronaldo has started five consecutive games. And in addition to the 4-2 victory of Z-United was replaced in the 85th minute, the other 4 games C Ronaldo all played full.
Logically, for a 37-year-old veteran, such a high-intensity and frequent schedule, C Ronaldo should have rotated long ago. But the 28th round of the league is the Manchester City derby, and before the game, the outside world almost unanimously predicted that Ronaldo would still start. This is actually reasonable, after all, this is a duel with a sworn enemy in the same city, and it is also a key battle for 4. But shortly before the start of the race, the media reported that Ronaldo would be absent.
To be honest, at the time, some people questioned whether This was another way of saying that Ronnick excluded Ronaldo from the starting lineup. Because before this, there were no reports of C Ronaldo's injury. Sure enough, shortly after the game, the media reported that Ronaldo was unhappy with Ronnick's placement on the bench and had flown back to Portugal to recuperate. Subsequently, neither the club nor his team staff could determine where he was or whether he would attend Tuesday's training session.
Now Ronaldo has returned to Manchester United, but his estrangement from Lonnick has emerged and seems difficult to overcome. Earlier, Italy's Corriere della Seraco reported that according to people close to Cristiano Ronaldo, Cristiano was not injured at all, he could have, and he should have participated in such an important game. His relationship with the head coach is tense, the two have almost no relationship, and a rupture is inevitable. A new round of breakups could happen in June, though the contracts between the two sides expire in 2023. Going to the U.S. or back to Portugal is the most realistic possibility.
Minor injuries can not get into the line of fire, which is a law that C Ronaldo has always adhered to at his peak. And the head coach can't exclude C Ronaldo, who has a strong desire to fight, from the starting lineup, after all, an injured C Ronaldo still has the ability to surpass the average forward player. But for Lonnick, Ronaldo, 37, is no longer the privileged superstar of 10 years ago. If there is an injury, he should nurse his injury, and he has also made a rule before that he must stay at the club to recuperate.
Last time he was replaced and dumped on the sidelines, now he is dissatisfied with the substitute and has flown directly back to Portugal. As with the last time, this wave of fans on Ronnick's side still makes up the vast majority.
From the perspective of the head coach, Lonnick is definitely for the good of C Ronaldo, after all, he is no longer young. Although it is a small injury, the risk still exists, and if it is aggravated, it will undoubtedly be lost due to small losses. After all, this is a critical period in the season, whether he is on or off, Manchester United will have a hard time scoring points at The Manchester City's home stadium. Lonnick's plan was to give Cristiano Ronaldo a break to prepare for the next round of the battle against Tottenham.
In addition, as a player, you must absolutely obey the arrangements of the head coach, if you put your personal interests above the team, this will not be good for the collective, it will only destroy the unity.
Manchester United are likely to have a hard time getting the top 4 this season. At present, Arsenal are 1 point behind in 3 rounds of multi-game, and Tottenham Hotspur is 2 points behind in 2 rounds of less matches, and Manchester United's ranking may continue to decline at any time.
If Manchester United have no Champions League to play next season, then Ronaldo will most likely move the idea of leaving the team. But let's be honest, what other giants are willing to provide Ronaldo with a solid starting position today? Old club portuguese sports? This may also be his dream, but Ronaldo's annual salary is a huge problem for them.
Manchester United and Cristiano Ronaldo's reunion was not optimistic at the beginning, and the process was indeed full of twists and turns and controversies. And when he left, what was left was a chicken feather, a down-and-out Red Devil waiting to be revived.