When the history books are opened on Manchester United 's 2021-22 season, you'd be hard-pressed to find much positivity.
Rife with problems on and off the pitch and baring the bitter fruits of a disjointed club structure, the Red Devils find themselves heading into new boss Erik ten Hag 's first campaign with little to show for their measly efforts. One man whose impact can't be questioned - at least recently - is Cristiano Ronaldo, having scored 24 goals in 38 games throughout his honeymoon return.
While his rampant form in front of goal certainly isn't a reflection of any desired improvement under interim manager Ralf Rangnick, Ronaldo's personal uptick late in the term has come as a result of United's rather pathetic plight - and the reasons why are clear.
Rewind to February 15 and the five-time Ballon d'Or winner went into his side's Premier League clash with Brighton without a single goal across his six games in 2022. The Red Devils were competing in three competitions at that point and due to an outbreak of Covid-19 at Carrington, were playing every few days to make up for lost time.
In that period, the club suspended Mason Greenwood, loaned out Anthony Martial and dealt with yet another injury to Edinson Cavani. Ronaldo, therefore, became tasked with leading the line solo, something his mind would've relished but 37-year-old body - pristine as it is - wouldn't.
Enduring a barren spell of one goal in 10 games, Ronaldo was ruled out of the Manchester derby with a hip problem, a contentious reason which critics doubted. But after a full two-week break, the Portuguese came back with a bang; scoring a phenomenal hat-trick against Tottenham Hotspur to fire his teammates to victory in what should've been a turning point in United's season.
Three days later, Ronaldo was neutered against Atletico Madrid for the second time in 1-0 loss, a dire defeat which knocked them out of the Champions League. That enforced another lengthy break for him until two crucial World Cup play-off matches for Portugal. Their captain, while not scoring, led the line impressively and guided his nation to the World Cup finals with two wins.
Missing the first league game back against Leicester City and then blanking against Everton, Ronaldo returned to action seven days later in emphatic fashion to score another hat-trick in a victory over Norwich City, looking fresh for the run-in. Tragically, though, the father of four would be ruled out of a midweek trip to Liverpool due to the passing of his baby son.
Courageously, Ronaldo was back in action only a week after the Norwich win, marking his comeback with another goal against Arsenal and more notably, an impressive all-round display which drew praise from supporters and pundits alike. A pattern was emerging: one game a week was the way to go.
Five days later to further that point, the ex-Real Madrid and Juventus talisman bagged again with a sublime finish against Chelsea. And this week, on Monday against Brentford, Ronaldo made it four successive games on the scoresheet by slotting home a penalty after having a goal narrowly ruled out for offside. On what many believed could have been his final Old Trafford outing, there was something different about Ronaldo, something Ten Hag would've liked.
Typified by his reaction to giving the ball away and chasing back into his own half to make a clean challenge, the veteran tallied more tackles and interceptions against Brentford than he has in any other game this season (three). That was also as many as he made combined across his last nine matches for the Red Devils.
What makes that statistic particularly impressive - and exciting from Ten Hag's point of view - is the fact United dominated the ball, boasting 65 per cent possession. As the team spent less time defending, it showed that Ronaldo, when called upon, led the press efficiently and play a key role in winning the ball back.
Ten Hag's Ajax are a possession-based side and rarely spend time chasing games, just as the Red Devils didn't have to on Monday. Ronaldo's increased mobility was showcased, too, recording a season-high 84 touches against Brentford after 56 when Chelsea came to town. His average for the campaign, meanwhile, is only 42.
Rangnick was understandably pleased, having been asked how Ronaldo's recent displays - which have seen his goals-per-game jump from 0.2 in his seven matches prior to the Tottenham clash to 1.2 in the seven since - will play in Ten Hag's thinking.
The departing boss said post-match: "The way that he played again tonight, not only because he scored a goal but he also won the penalty and helped defensively tonight, so why should he not be a player who could still be part of the squad and help the team?"
With all of that in mind, it's evident how Ten Hag can get the best out of Ronaldo; limit his minutes for maximum output, just as former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer suggested before being sacked.
"We got to May in the final stretch of last season and we were too tired. I manage the players for the club," Solskjaer explained when probed about the controversial decision to rest him for a draw with Everton back in October. "It's nice to have him on the pitch, he'll always come up with the goods. The more we have him on the pitch, the better."
So, as Ten Hag draws up plans for his first campaign in charge, the fact United have landed in the Europa League - second-rate to Ronaldo's beloved Champions League - could allow him to rest the superstar for midweek matches, blooding youngsters or new signings while letting the No.7 focus his efforts on the Premier League.
Silverware will be important to Ten Hag's legacy, of course, but if this spring is anything to go - like the stunning feat of being the Premier League's leading goalscorer in 2022 after giving his opponents a huge head start - Ronaldo can come up trumps in the latter stages and end what will be a six-year trophy drought. Expected hit the 40-game mark by featuring in the final two matches of a miserable year, those special moments need to be savoured rather than being squeezed out thanks to over-reliance.
Have your say! Would Ronaldo thrive playing once a week under Ten Hag? Comment your thoughts below.
It's also something Rangnick hinted at last night, noting how Ronaldo has had few opportunities to give someone else a shot up front. "Cristiano is not a central striker, he also does not want to play in that position," the Red Devils interim manager stated. "In order to not play central, you have to play with two strikers as we did in the last 15 minutes or in my first game against Crystal Palace or the second one against Norwich, and even in the second-half against Newcastle.
"But if you look at international football, there are not many top teams who play with two strikers. Most of the international top teams either play with three strikers or a false nine, so for me it's not a question of position, it's a question of what kind of quality players Manchester United have [around him] in the future."
As United are linked to a plethora of strikers ahead of the summer transfer window, Ronaldo might receive a helping hand very shortly and catch regular breaks for an entire term which will include the aforementioned World Cup at the midway point.
Crucially, though, is it his plan to stick around? Reports suggest that his days at Old Trafford could be numbered, despite one year remaining on his contract. The next few months are sure to tell us the answer.
