Cristiano Ronaldo can have no excuses for hitting out at an Everton fan, though his outburst is likely due to the frustration of playing in a “failing” Manchester United team.
That’s the view of former Red Devils ace Luke Chadwick, who spoke exclusively to CaughtOffside to discuss the fallout from his old club’s 1-0 defeat against Everton at the weekend.
Man Utd were poor as they dropped more points at Goodison Park, with Chadwick particularly dismayed at how much Frank Lampard’s relegation strugglers just seemed to want it more.
“It was another really disappointing performance. Everton are fighting for their lives and had just come off a bad result against Burnley, but they just seemed to want it more than Man United,” Chadwick said.
“They were by no means the better team, but they had more intensity and were always first to the tackle and played off the passion of the crowd. Overall they just wanted it more and that’s a real worry for a club like Man United.
“Rangnick made some changes, with Rashford starting and Ronaldo back in, but whatever combination’s out there doesn’t seem to be having a great effect. It was another lacklustre performance. It means the top four is probably not possible now, which is a disaster really for a club of United’s size.
“Obviously you’d like to see performances pick up, with all the talk of a new manager you’d hope a confirmation might settle everyone a bit. It would be good to get the new manager in so he can bring his ideas in and pick everything up. For now I don’t know what’s going to spark more out of these players until the new manager comes in. Hopefully whoever comes in can get his ideas across and start a new era and give the club a brighter future.”
On Ronaldo’s outburst at the end of the game, which saw him slap a phone from a teenager’s hand, Chadwick admitted it was “unacceptable” behaviour, but that it just shows how much the Portugal international must be frustrated with life at Old Trafford right now.
“Obviously he’s frustrated, he’s a winner, he’s spent his career winning titles and he’s in a failing team at the moment,” Chadwick said.
“Obviously there’s no excuse for that sort of behaviour, which I’m sure he’s fully aware of, having come out and apologised for it.
“Even if something’s maybe been said to him, that’s part and parcel of being a footballer for Manchester United.
“I’m sure the emotions were running high, but that’s something he shouldn’t have done. It shouldn’t happen, but all he can do is apologise.
“I’m not surprised the child’s parents aren’t happy about it, it is completely unacceptable. It’s just another cloud on a really disappointing day for United.”