Cristiano Ronaldo appeared to accidentally spit on his Manchester United team-mate Anthony Elanga following their dire draw at home to Southampton.
The Portuguese superstar played all 90 minutes of the Premier League clash, while Elanga replaced Scott McTominay for the final quarter of an hour as United suffered a serious setback to their top four ambitions.
Jadon Sancho had put the hosts ahead after 20 minutes when he tapped in at the far post from Marcus Rashford ’s squared ball for his first goal at Old Trafford in the top-flight.
But following that strike, United once again proceeded to put in a lacklustre performance, with Southampton equalising soon into the second-half when Che Adams was sent clear and curled the ball beyond David de Gea.
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Neither side were able to find a winner, with the Red Devils now winless in their last three games in all competitions.
There was also controversy following the game as United and Southampton players shook hands with each other.
Footage from BT Sport showed Ronaldo walking past Elanga as the teenager looked away from the superstar.
As he moved to shake hands with Southampton keeper Fraser Forster, Ronaldo turned to Elanga and appeared to spit in his direction.
Some of Ronaldo’s saliva appeared to hit Elanga, but the United academy graduate appeared to be oblivious to what had happened.
The footage went viral on social media, with many left confused by what had happened.
“I'm sure the FA have seen Ronaldo spit on Elanga. And I'm expecting a deserved punishment. That's really unnecessary deliberate or not,” one said.
“This needs explaining, did Ronaldo really just spit on Anthony Elanga. Did United play that bad?” another added.
“Did I see things or did anyone else [see] Ronaldo spit towards the back of Elanga at the end of the game?” a third wrote.
“Did Ronaldo just spit on his own teammate?” a fourth questioned.
There is no suggestion that Ronaldo deliberated spat at his team-mates and some believe that Elanga’s reaction, coupled with the angle of the camera, meant the spit had not hit him.
“I hope it's just the camera angle and Ronaldo didn't just spit on Elanga,” one user.
“Look clearly, Ronaldo is farther than Elanga, he didn't spit on him,” added another.
“Actually it’s the angle, he didn’t spit on him. The angle is showing like he did, yet he didn’t,” a third said.
Ronaldo failed to score for the sixth successive game on Saturday, his worst goal drought for 12 years.
The frustrating draw meant United did rise above Arsenal and into fifth, but with none of their rivals for a top four place playing on Saturday it is a major setback.
The Gunners will not play until next week thanks to Chelsea ’s Club World Cup exploits, while Tottenham host Wolves and West Ham travel to Leicester on Sunday.
