Cristiano Ronaldo will come up against Antonio Conte’s team on Wednesday evening – but had things gone differently they could have been on the same side.
Ronaldo’s Manchester United host Conte’s Tottenham at Old Trafford in the headline fixture of the midweek Premier League games. But Ronaldo’s place in the United starting XI for the game is far from secure after he was substituted in the 0-0 draw against Newcastle on Sunday.
Erik ten Hag started Antony Martial and Marcus Rashford in the previous two league matches and has generally taken a pragmatic view towards the Portuguese star. Ronaldo has started just two Premier League matches this season and has frequently cut a frustrated figure on the substitutes’ bench.
The 37-year-old’s rocky start to the season comes after he pushed hard to leave United in the summer due to a desire to play in the Champions League and unhappiness with the club’s lack of ambition. With Spurs in town, it is interesting to consider how things could have played out differently.
Rewind around 12 months and Conte was being strongly linked with United amid the final days of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer ’s reign as manager. In the end, the club opted against hiring the Italian, who then ended up replacing Nuno Espirito Santo as Tottenham’s manager instead, with Ralf Rangnick coming in as an interim head coach at United.
One of the reasons behind the decision was Ronaldo’s reluctance to work with the former Chelsea and Inter Milan boss. The striker’s influence is such that he essentially had a veto.
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Looking back, Ronaldo might now regret that decision, given his place in the pecking order under Ten Hag, as well as Conte’s admiration for his talents. Ahead of Wednesday’s match, Conte spoke in glowing terms about the veteran forward, recalling his impact in United’s 3-2 win over Spurs back in March.
"Last season he scored a hat-trick against us," Conte said in his pre-match press conference. "We're talking about an incredible player, a top player. We're talking about a player who continues to make a difference for the team in which he plays.
"I have a lot of admiration for Cristiano, for his professionalism, but I hope he will remain calm, not like last season, when he scored three goals. We lost 3-2, but we lost to him, not to United last season. I remember that very well, because we played a very good game."
Ronaldo netted 24 goals in all competitions for United last season, but he is yet to find form this campaign. He has two goals and one assist in 12 appearances so far and appears unhappy with his current standing in the squad.
He was substituted in the second half of the 0-0 draw with Newcastle on Sunday and left the pitch shaking his head vigorously at Ten Hag’s decision. When he has been on the pitch, Ronaldo has spent a lot of his time with his hands on his hips bemoaning his lack of involvement.
