The Manchester derby on March 6 missed one of its most recognizable faces, after Cristiano Ronaldo was forced to sit out the game with reports only surfacing early on the morning of the game that he could be ruled out.
It turns that a hip flexor injury that has troubled him in the past resurfaced two days before the Man City match.
That left manager Ralf Rangnick having to shuffle his forward line against the defending Premier League champions since Edinson Cavani was also out after failing to recover from a groin injury despite training well in the days prior to the game.
But Rangnick didn’t opt for Marcus Rashford at center forward as many had expected. Instead, youngsters Jadon Sancho and Anthony Elanga were given the assignment of shouldering the load on the wings, with Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes pushing high centrally.
Cristiano Ronaldo out of Manchester derby. Edinson Cavani also not fit for squad.
Leaves Marcus Rashford as only recognised forward. Possibility Bruno Fernandes as false nine.@TheAthleticUK #MUFChttps://t.co/BKZFY1u0gf
— Laurie Whitwell (@lauriewhitwell) March 6, 2022
It’s another blow in a difficult season for the 37-year-old Ronaldo, who has missed five matches in what’s been an up-and-down season.
He sat out matches against Aston Villa on Jan. 10 and Jan. 15 due to a hip flexor issue, but some are not buying it, including former Manchester United player Roy Keane.
? “We talk about Ronaldo being a machine, very rarely injured then every now and again he comes out with “hip flexor” it doesn’t add up to me.”
Roy Keane questions the exclusion of Cristiano Ronaldo from the Man United team pic.twitter.com/1WuYGB2ObG
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) March 6, 2022
“Cristiano Ronaldo has not been best impressed with perhaps not playing today and has taken his ball home.”@MattCritchley1 has the final word on those team news rumours from the Etihad Stadium!#beINPL #MCIMUN
Watch Now ? https://t.co/hkoevnV6B4 pic.twitter.com/um5qbArkmy
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) March 6, 2022
Why is Cristiano Ronaldo out?
According to Rangnick, the hip flexor issue that surfaced earlier in the season was acting up again two days before the Manchester derby.
Ronaldo missed two games in January with a hip problem, which also affected him during his time at Juventus. It was enough of a problem that media noted that Ronaldo had to be driven home after practice on Friday.
Confirmed Varane and Shaw have Covid. Ronaldo has a hip injury (which caused him to miss two games last month). Ronaldo was driven home after training on Friday. #mufc
— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) March 6, 2022
Ronaldo has generally played less this season than he has at other times in his career. He has already been substituted off five times in league games this season, as well as twice in the Champions League.
In fact, Ronaldo has been subbed off more times this season than he has at any point in the last decade, with the 2012-13 season the last time he was brought out of games so regularly.
- Total matches played: 30 (all competitions)
- Matches started: 26
- Subbed off: 7 times
- Subbed on: 4 times
- Injury absences: 3 (hip flexor — Jan. 10, Jan. 15, Mar. 6)
- Rested: 2 (Sept. 22, Dec. 8)
This might be indicative of a general trend with the player. Ronaldo has been an ever-present figure for his teams throughout his career, but this season has also seen him start four games on the bench, most surprisingly a league game at Stamford Bridge in November, when he was brought on with less than 30 minutes to play.
It’s inevitable that time catches up with all players, and it seems like Ronaldo is getting a taste of it for the first time in his career.
How do United play without Ronaldo?
While the combined absences of Ronaldo and Cavani are a cruel turn of fate for Rangnick, it’s an opportunity for other attackers in the United squad to prove their worth against Man City.
Elanga and Sancho are counted on to be threats on the wings with Fernandes and Pogba taking turns to occupy the defenders centrally. Meanwhile, Fred and Scott McTominay partnered deeper in midfield to keep things tight against Man City.
A central role for Pogba is definitely a different positional look for him though he has operated wide in the attack before. Fernandes has filled in as the false No. 9 in the past and it has allowed him to roam and influence the game however he sees fit, combining with the wide players when the opportunity presents itself.
“Ronaldo being out of the team, I could never say it’s a positive but I don’t see it as a big loss like in other games,” said Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville, who suggested other players like Rashford are better suited for the counterattack.
Ronaldo goals vs. Man City
Of course, it’s no secret that United broke the bank to bring Cristiano back to Old Trafford after the superstar was reportedly closing in on a move to the blue side of Manchester. The move reported to cost around $17 million initially, with approximately $6-8 million in potential bonuses.
Since returning to the club, no player has scored more goals for United than Cristiano Ronaldo. He has nine league goals for the team, more than any of his teammates.
MORE: How Ronaldo nearly signed with Manchester City
Ronaldo has played against City numerous times in his career, with Manchester derbies from his first spell at United complemented by a handful of European games at his other teams.
He has played against City 15 times, with nine wins from those games (two draws and four defeats). Ronaldo has scored five goals in those 15 games, with three of them coming in the Premier League.
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