Roy Keane reckons Erik ten Hag will want to keep Cristiano Ronaldo around at Manchester United but will need him to "cut out his rubbish" that saw him lose his temper regularly earlier in the season.
The Portugal star was furious most matches under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer including a stroppy reaction in the 4-2 defeat away at Leicester City as he ignored the club's travelling support and headed straight down the tunnel after the full-time whistle.
Things came to a head against Brentford at the turn of the calendar year, when the former Real Madrid man failed to hide his fury at being substituted by Ralf Rangnick while the Red Devils were 2-0 up with just 20 minutes left to play.
Ronaldo snatched a jacket from a member of backroom staff before throwing it to the floor, while refusing to take a seat in the dugout and instead watching the remainder of the game whilst sat on some steps. .
United held on to register a 3-1 victory in West London, but Rangnick conceded he was not best pleased with the manner in which Ronaldo conducted himself after his number went up. He said after the match: "I don’t blame him for that but obviously any manager would wish it shouldn’t be too emotional and also in front of the TV cameras I don’t think this will be for the benefit of anyone: not to his benefit or teammates."
Ronaldo's demeanour has changed towards the end of the season, but United's form hasn't and it's claimed he will not be a part of Ten Hag's rebuild. Keane insists there is "no logic" in United parting ways with Ronaldo if they are basing it purely on form, however, as he netted his 18th Premier League goal of the season on Monday night during a 3-0 win over Brentford.
But the former United hero reckons Ten Hag needs to talk to him about "cutting out" the outbursts that arose at the start of the season and - if he's not on board - then he has to be shown the door.
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He told Sky Sports: “I think a top manager will come in and have that conversation with him and cut that rubbish out, like at Brentford when he is shaking his head 15 minutes after coming off. That is where Ronaldo has to be more mature and be a better leader,” Keane added.
“Of course you are disappointed when you come off. But don’t keep it up for one or two days. That is where you have to sort that maturity out.
“Even Ronaldo has to look at the bigger picture. And when you do have that conversation as a top manager, make it plain to him that won’t be tolerated. If he is not buying into that then you do say, ‘No, you’re not going to be part of my plans’.
“If he is thinking he has to play every minute of every game, that is rubbish at his age anyway.”
