Roy Keane has questioned the veracity of Ralf Rangnick’s claim that Cristiano Ronaldo missed the Manchester derby with an injury.
Ronaldo was not included in the Manchester United squad for the 4-1 defeat to Manchester City.
Interim manager Rangnick said that the Portuguese striker was struggling with a hip flexor issue, an injury that has bothered Ronaldo a number of times this season.
Yet Keane does not believe his former teammate’s absence is entirely related to a fitness problem.
Citing the 37-year-old’s famed physical conditioning, the former Manchester United midfielder feels that Rangnick’s reasoning “doesn’t add up”.
“There seems to be [something more to it],” Keane said of Ronaldo’s absence on Sky Sports.
“I just don’t like it when the manager talks about this hip flexor, I don’t get it.
“We talk about Ronaldo being some sort of machine, he’s very rarely injured and then every now and again he comes out with something and says ‘hip flexor’.
“It doesn’t add up to me.”
Luke Shaw and Raphael Varane also missed the game at the Etihad Stadium having tested positive for Covid, while Edinson Cavani was also left out of the matchday squad.
Rangnick had indicated that the Uruguayan would be fit to play but explained to MUTV that Cavani “didn’t feel quite well enough to play”.
A first-half double from Kevin De Bruyne was followed by Riyad Mahrez’s second-half brace to take Manchester City to a comfortable home victory.
Their opponents failed to register a single shot after half-time, and Keane described Manchester United’s lack of effort as “shameful”.
“United gave up and in a derby, in any game, it’s unforgivable,” the former midfielder fumed.
“I can forgive mistakes, but not running back, not trying to tackle - there are players out there who shouldn’t play for Manchester United again.
“We’ve all lost football matches but it’s the way they lost. You expect them to play with a bit of pride but that’s a reflection of where the team is at the moment.
“If you can’t run back and put your body on the line when you’re playing for Manchester United, it’s shameful.”
