Cristiano Ronaldo’s unavailability for the Manchester derby with Manchester City proved to be a burning question among Manchester United fans. Former United player Roy Keane questioned manager Ralf Rangnick over the veracity of Ronaldo’s injury but the German manager reaffirmed faith in his team’s medical department.
Talking to the press after a humbling 4-1 defeat at the hands of neighbours Manchester City, Rangnick faced a series of questions surrounding Ronaldo, whose absence was quite noteworthy in the Manchester derby. There were some initial reports that suggested Rangnick considered dropping the Portuguese for the match.
Former United player and Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane also raised some doubts before kick-off saying:
“We talk about Ronaldo being a machine and very rarely getting injured… it doesn’t add up to me.”
Ronaldo’s sister Katia Aveiro also fuelled rumours after liking an Instagram post that said that Ronaldo wasn’t actually injured but had actually been dropped by Rangnick.
Speaking after the massive defeat, Rangnick affirmed faith in his team’s medical department.
“I have to believe my medical department,”
the United interim boss explained.
“My doctor came to see me on Friday morning before training and told me Cristiano Ronaldo cannot train because of some problems with his hip flexor and the same was true on Saturday and that’s why he couldn’t be part of the squad.”
The German interim manager also faced questions surrounding Edinson Cavani’s absence. Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes had to play in the False 9 position in the absence of Ronaldo and Cavani. The Uruguay international was missing his sixth successive match and Rangnick voiced his frustrations after being informed by the player that he did not feel he could play in the derby.
“What does it help if I tell you it’s frustrating? It’s just a fact, if players tell the doctor and the medical department that they are injured and cannot play. I have to accept it as a manager.
“I cannot force a player to play if he thinks he’s not available because he has an injury. Edi trained in the last three days, he trained well, but he still felt after those three training sessions that he is still not fit to play.
“This is a fact and as a manager, I cannot force a player to play if he doesn’t feel fit or well enough to play,”
he concluded.
