A growing number of Manchester United players prefer playing without Cristiano Ronaldo as doubt mounts over his future.
United manager Erik ten Hag has omitted Ronaldo from the squad to travel to Chelsea on Saturday and the 37-year-old has been fined a fortnight's salary and ordered to train separately from the first-team squad for the remainder of this week.
Ronaldo refused to come on in the 2-0 win over Tottenham on Wednesday night and walked down the tunnel before the game had finished.
Read more: Ronaldo has underestimated Erik ten Hag too many times
Some believe Ronaldo's return to United has adversely affected Bruno Fernandes' goals and assists output. Fernandes recorded 10 goals and 14 assists last season with Ronaldo, down from 28 and 17 the previous season.
Fernandes thrived in United's 2-0 victory against Spurs, instigating the attack that led to Fred's goal and scoring the second in a man of the match performance.
United lost 4-0 to Brentford and drew 0-0 with Newcastle in the only Premier League games Ronaldo has started this term, although he emerged to score the winning goal at Everton.
Ronaldo arrived for training at United's Carrington training complex at 8.30am on Friday morning to do individual work. Ten Hag nor any United first-team squad members had reported at the time Ronaldo turned up.
Dressing room sources do not believe there is any imminent threat of the players turning against Ronaldo as he is immensely respected. The young players at United idolise Ronaldo while senior British and overseas players marvel at his professionalism, his midweek misstep aside.
Sources say there is greater togetherness in the squad this season after the departure of certain players and do not expect that to be compromised by Ronaldo's transgression.
Despite the squad harmony, Ronaldo suspects some teammates have attempted to undermine his standing in the dressing room, although Ronaldo questioned Maguire's captaincy status last season in a meeting with interim manager Ralf Rangnick.
A number of United players had hoped Ronaldo would be sold in the summer but his agent, Jorge Mendes, failed to secure an exit route after Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, Sporting Lisbon, AC Milan and Napoli passed on the offer.
Ten Hag was open to letting Ronaldo leave had United received an agreeable offer that appealed to the Portuguese but the only formal bid came from a club in Saudi Arabia.
Ronaldo issued a 170-word statement on Thursday night in which he accepted "sometimes the heat of the moment gets the best of us" and United insist he remains an "important player".
It was widely noted the Sports PR Company firm that represents Ronaldo swiftly liked his Instagram post and their re-shared upload was instantly 'liked' by its founder, Caroline McAteer.
Ronaldo could return for United when they host FC Sheriff in their penultimate Europa League group stage game on Thursday.
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