Even though Cristiano Ronaldo has hardly featured for Manchester United this term, the Portuguese superstar has still been the talk of Old Trafford.
The 37-year-old started the season on the bench after missing the club's pre-season tour under new boss Erik ten Hag and the former Juventus man is still on the periphery after failing to make the most of the opportunities he has been handed by the Dutchman.
Ronaldo's struggles have handed Marcus Rashford a surprise Old Trafford reprieve. The United academy graduate was out of form last year and was linked with a summer exit after falling out of favour under Ten Hag's predecessor, Ralf Rangnick. But he has been reinvigorated playing in his favoured central role, chalking up three goals and two assists in just six games.
Although Rashford's resurgence is likely to limit Ronaldo's first-team opportunities, it has been claimed that the veteran has emerged as the Englishman's "biggest cheerleader".
And even though that stance has reportedly left Rashford 'surprised', Ronaldo's selfless approach is another example of how the six-time Ballon d'Or winner has tried his utmost to be a positive influence in the United dressing room since his return to the club last summer.
A number of Manchester United stars have spoken out on how positive Ronaldo has been behind the scenes at the club - even though it was rumoured that the forward had divided the Red Devils' dressing room.
United slumped to their worst-ever finish in the Premier League era under Rangnick last term just months after Ronaldo's return.
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But fresh reports of Ronaldo's attitude in training should put those rumours to bed once and for all.
Speaking earlier this month, United full-back Brandon Williams insisted suggestions that Ronaldo has been a disruptive influence since returning to the club last summer were nonsense.
He told The Sportsman: "I wasn't there when he first came back, but since I've come back, he's been a massive influence. He always talks to me," he said. "He makes sure that he doesn't leave anybody out. He just talks to everybody.
"He's not 'I'm the superstar here, I'm not going to talk to anyone.' He gives me advice. He talks to me. He has a joke with me. It's just normal stuff. When you have a colleague that's a footballer because at the end of the day, he's a colleague of mine."
