Erik ten Hag accused of going against Sir Alex Ferguson’s golden Man Utd rule

Erik ten Hag, according to Emmanuel Petit, must quit pandering to Cristiano Ronaldo and start putting Manchester United first.

How to deal with Ronaldo has been one of Ten Hag’s most difficult challenges since taking over at Old Trafford this summer, when the Portuguese superstar announced his intention to depart. The veteran striker eventually stayed, but he has continued to dominate headlines, particularly after refusing to play against Tottenham in October.

Ronaldo was punished by missing the Premier League match against Chelsea and exercising alone, although he has already returned to first-team play. The 37-year-old even wore the captain’s armband in Sunday’s 3-1 loss to Aston Villa, but Petit is unhappy that his boss gave him an ill-advised “second chance.”

Lord Ping was told by the former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder: “Erik ten Hag prioritizes Ronaldo above Man United; he should prioritize the club over the individual. I believe certain political decisions have been taken; Erik ten Hag wants to keep Cristiano Ronaldo happy, but the focus isn’t on Ronaldo.

“Manchester United should be your top priority, so you must always field your strongest team. The truth is that when Cristiano Ronaldo is on the field, the team isn’t the same. I understand Ten Hag’s desire to give Ronaldo another chance, but I’m confident that the solution is to prioritize the team over the player.”

Petit’s comments on Ronaldo and Ten Hag come after former Manchester United defender David May harkened back to Sir Alex Ferguson’s era to demonstrate how one of the game’s greatest-ever managers handled troublemakers.

May told Mirror Football exclusively on behalf of 888sport that players like Roy Keane, Jaap Stam, and Ruud van Nistelrooy were allowed to depart because they thought they were “greater than the club.” “It’s a difficult decision. Ronaldo might want to leave, and if he does, the door is open.

“If a player wants to leave Manchester United, don’t stand in their way; if he’s not going to help the club, it’s fair enough [to sell him], depending on the transfer window.”

Ronaldo has been in and out of the Manchester United starting lineup this season, but he has started the last four games in all competitions, scoring once. His season total is three goals, two of which have come in the Europa League, with his winner against Everton being the only occasion he has found the back of the net in the Premier League.