Bruno Fernandes has already explained how Erik ten Hag might deal with Cristiano Ronaldo incident

When the initial clips of Cristiano Ronaldo’s conversation with Piers Morgan leaked on social media, many people assumed that his Manchester United career was over. It remains to be seen how the Reds will respond to the sensational claims made by the Portuguese attacker, but the club will undoubtedly respond shortly.

Ronaldo has come under fire for his statements about his manager Erik ten Hag, former teammates, and his treatment at Old Trafford, with a number of former players and analysts defending the club’s handling of the situation, including those who played with the 37-year-old.

However, no answer has yet been received from any of Ronaldo’s club teammates, which is understandable given that many of them are on international duty and will most likely be waiting for instructions on how to respond if and when questioned on the subject.

Despite this, United’s players have previously spoken about the importance of following Ten Hag’s orders – and the repercussions of failing to do so – with the Dutchman setting a number of rules that must be observed. Bruno Fernandes discussed the impact of the manager since his arrival at the club before to the start of the season, claiming that the team would be successfully provided they stuck by him.

Fernandes stated in August, during United’s pre-season campaign, that players must follow Ten Hag’s orders and guidelines or face being ‘punished’ and booted out of the team.

“The essential issue is following what he wants because I think he has a straight route that he wants to have with the team and I want to follow that straight line because I think we can be successful in that way,” Fernandes said when asked about the Dutchman’s demands.

He went on: “What gives me confidence is that just like at Sporting, there is a clear path ahead of us; anyone who does not follow it will be kicked from the team.

“So, I believe that if everyone realizes that we must obey the regulations, as well as what the coach and the team require, everyone will be on the same page.

“So that makes the team successful, and if the team is successful, every one of us will be successful individually as well, so I think everyone will be happy at the conclusion of the season if we can do everything that he [Ten Hag] wants us to do.

“It’s obvious; he clearly said what he desires and requires. So anyone who does not comply with his requests is aware that they will be punished.

“When we talk about discipline, it’s about that; he’s extremely clear about it, so there’s no way around it; even if you don’t understand English, you can understand how he wants to play!

“So I believe that is really crucial for us to ensure that everyone is on the same page, and I believe that they will follow the line that he wants so that no one can get out of nothing with him.

“I also believe that the senior players must take a significant step in this regard, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and not allowing anyone to get away with anything.”

When Ronaldo and Fernandes met for the first time after the former’s interview, it appeared that Fernandes was irritated by his colleagues’ comments. However, Portugal midfielder Joao Mario has since claimed that the United pair were joking about the Reds’ number eight’s late arrival.

“I was in the locker room at the time, and I saw pictures, it was a joke between them, curiously because Bruno was one of the last to arrive and Cristiano asked if he had come by boat (laughs),” he said during a press conference.

If the two decide to talk about it, it will almost certainly be behind closed doors. Fernandes will undoubtedly have an opinion on both Ronaldo’s decision to participate in the interview and what was said during it.

However, Fernandes’ statements prior to the start of the season suggest that Ten Hag will be proactive in dealing with the aftermath of Ronaldo’s interview. Many believe that the veteran forward has played his final game in a Red shirt, and it would not be surprising if that is the case.