After helping Man United keep a clean sheet against Aston Villa, Tyrell Malacia discussed his first season at the club, Luke Shaw and Erik ten Hag's management. And that was that. That was always going to be what it took, though, because the simple fact is that Ronaldo is now, in some senses, too big for the game, or for the vast majority of it, at least. Mata is one of several very good players over recent years to have reached the end of their United journey surrounded by a sense of unfulfillment. It was a landmark strike for him as it was his 100th in the Premier League, making him the fourth Man Utd player to hit that achievement for the club. Ultimately, there was another conversation about how we can finish the season in a strong way. Read all the latest news and reaction from ESPN FC senior writer Mark Ogden. Manchester United took a big step towards securing Champions League qualification after beating Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon. Ronaldo spent the summer bulking up and returned to the Premier League a different beast, determined to use the crowd hatred as fuel. Cristiano Ronaldo to Man Utd: 'I'm back where I belong' and The uncharacteristically poor run of form continued in the FA Cup. Ronaldo He was now an important part of Man Utds attack, but was still playing a supporting role - not yet their primary goal threat. An injury might jeopardize his chances of a move in the final throes of the summer transfer window. but the ongoing saga over his future is leaving some concerned that he might not be here next season. Garnachos revitalised appearance has led fans to compare him to Cristiano Ronaldo, who underwent a similar transformation in his early United days. Tyrell Malacia has revealed how Luke Shaw is helping him during his first season at Manchester United. As Ronaldo desperately sought a move away from the declining Juventus in the summer of 2021, it was his beloved Manchester United who swooped in when it looked certain that he was heading to the blue side of Manchester! Consumer writer Harriet Morphy-Morris tried it for herself, Man left with 30 stitches to his face after horror stabbing in Manchester nightclub, The incident took place earlier this month, 'My fists are my secret weapondo you want me to kill you?! Cristiano Ronaldo says he is "back where I belong" at Manchester United and has dedicated his return to the club to former boss Sir Alex Ferguson. In his first few seasons in England however, he started to gain a reputation as a showman who often made one step-over too many, didnt always release the ball when he should have, and who liked to make the most of the rough treatment he would often receive from defenders. The now commonplace inverted winger role theoretically allowed Ronaldo to take many more shots on his strong foot, and unlocked another level to his already elite goalscoring. Ronaldo other than by virtue of being Ronaldo does not solve any particularly pressing sporting need. The ever-popular Mata played well enough and won the hearts of fans through his affable nature and philanthropy. So where will Ronaldo play, and what are the positives and negatives of each possible position? He was also given license to stay high up the pitch during defensive phases, enabling the team to launch deadly counter-attacks after regaining possession. Alex Telles could reunited with Cristiano Ronaldo this summer. Cristiano finished with a record-equalling 31 Premier League goals, with Tevez on 14 and Rooney 12. Nobody else in the division has got into double figures for clean sheets secured at home this season.". Its a law of life. A few hours later, Ronaldo was photographed boarding a private jet at the airport in Turin, Italy, where Juventus is based. Cristiano Ronaldo began his career in midfield as a traditional winger, using his blistering pace and immense trickery to run at and beat defenders, before looking to provide for the striker(s). Romelu Lukaku, Angel Di Maria and Jadon Sancho were other big-answer signings, while the appointments of Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho also smacked of searching for a new messiah. Man Utd were subsequently thrashed 4-1. The 37-year-old remains one of the most prolific players in the world, with his return to England causing United fans to dream of their returning hero leading them back to silverware, but the ongoing saga over his future is leaving some concerned that he might not be here next season. Ronaldo has played 135 of his club games as a right winger, but the majority of those were during his younger days at United when he shared attacking duties with Wayne Rooney, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Louis Saha. If Ronaldo chooses to roam free at United and drop into Fernandes' role, there is a risk of United's most consistent player being impacted negatively. It was this season that Ronaldo gained a lot more freedom as an attacker. He then surpassed 800 career goals with a double in a 3-2 victory over Arsenal. His primary position was on the right wing in a 4-4-2, but it was a dynamic counter-attacking system in which the front 4 (usually Ronaldo, Giggs, Saha, Rooney) would interchange. From tricky winger who sometimes tried to do too much, to unrelenting goalscorer, and best player in the world. It is a huge credit to Luke Shaw that he has not only been the best left-back in the Premier League this season, but he is also proving himself to be one of the best central defenders in the division as well.". United could look to sign Achraf Hakimi this summer. Raphael Varane also completed the scoring in the 72nd minute with his first United goal. Meanwhile, midfielder Donny van de Beek confirmed his recovery from a long-term injury is heading in the right direction. Gary Neville insisted Bruno Fernandes is United's "best player", but suggested he needs to tone down his moaning. Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Man Utd from Juventus in the summer of 2021 was undoubtedly one of the biggest transfer stories in the world of football as the Portuguese legend returned to Old Trafford after 12 years away. But a 2-0 loss to local rivals Man City in the Manchester derby and a humiliating 4-1 thrashing to relegation-threatened Watford was the final nail in the coffin for the manager, who was sacked on November 21. TODAY'S BIG TALKING POINT: Should Fernandes play on the right wing? WebA display of what positions Cristiano Ronaldo has played in over the last 50 matches including his average matchrating on the specific position. A packed Old Trafford chanted Cristiano Ronaldo s name as he took to the field for Manchester United against Newcastle United on September 11, 2021. According to Football Insider, United are interested in PSG right-back Achraf Hakimi and are considering a move for him in the summer. The Dutchman made the admission after the former Real Madrid ace produced an excellent performance during yesterday's 1-0 win over Aston Villa at Old Trafford. Ronaldo made 292 appearances for United during his first spell at the club and 48 of those came as a substitute, including his debut against Bolton Wanderers in August 2003. Welcome to the modern Manchester United, where nothing makes sense. But then I think every Manchester United fan, probably every player as well, is thinking 'just stop moaning!' However, playing Ronaldo out left would have an impact on Rashford's place in the team. FootballTransfers (FT) is a project designed to fulfill the massive interest in the transfer market and provide a realistic, algorithmically-driven valuation of football players. Cristiano Ronaldo is out at Manchester United after an explosive This goal return coupled with a first Champions League triumph earned Ronaldo his first Ballon dOr. Cavani is the most accomplished centre-forward on United's books, but at 34, he is neither a long-term solution nor one who could be expected to form a 40-50 game partnership with the Portugal star. Alejandro Garnacho has undergone an incredible transformation which was revealed upon the signing of his new Manchester United contract. But giving the Portugal forward his old number is the easy part for United; the big challenge now is where to play him. Indeed, he would not score again in February, failing to net in three subsequent matches. After flirting with joining Manchester City, Cristiano Ronaldo will instead head back to the team where he became a star. Ronaldo Ronaldo is back at Old Trafford But, Ronaldo goals aside, Man Utd were struggling under manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. It is suggested PSG are open to offers for the defender as they consider another rebuild at the end of the campaign. This is reflected not only in his heatmaps, but also in his successful dribble numbers which had been on a gradual continuous decline as you would expect with age. According to Transfermarkt.com, Ronaldo has played the majority of his club career on the wide left of a front three -- 394 of his games have been in this position, and he's scored 365 goals in that role. With 18 Premier League goals, only Mohamed Salah and Heung-Min Son scored more. Harry Kane has confirmed he plans to hold talks with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy before the end of the season as he continues to be linked with a move to United. Ronaldo was the signing who was going to return United to the promised land, turning them from top-four hopefuls into potential champions once again. Dan Coombs. Manchester United have reportedly sent representatives to watch Roma striker Tammy Abraham in action as they consider a move for the former Chelsea star. Most Valuable Football Players playing in the English Premier League, Best Football Players playing in the English Premier League, Best future stars playing in the English Premier League, Premier League (UK) - Confirmed Transfers. Originally Answered: Why did Ronaldo leave Manchester United? From memory Ronaldo held a long-held wish that he wanted to play for Real Madrid. I think the player had a gentlemans agreement with Sir Alex that he could move there if the fee was met and at a suitable time for both parties. Signing off at Old Trafford for the season!#MUFC | #MUNBRE pic.twitter.com/9S3OsWcMDa. Christian Eriksen, Erik ten Hag and Bruno Fernandes. Initially, it is likely that Ronaldo will play on the left and drift inside, operating largely within the central channel of the pitch.