Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has brushed off recent criticism from Cristiano Ronaldo, stating that outside opinions do not affect him or the club’s focus.
Ronaldo, speaking on a podcast with former teammate Rio Ferdinand, disagreed with Ten Hag’s pre-season comments that Manchester United were “a long way away” from winning the Premier League, a title they haven’t claimed since 2013.
While Ronaldo agreed with Ten Hag’s assessment that the club is far from winning the championship, he felt it was inappropriate for the manager to express that view publicly.
When asked about Ronaldo’s remarks ahead of United’s upcoming match against Southampton, Ten Hag downplayed the issue. “He is entitled to his opinion,” Ten Hag said. “It’s OK. He is far away in Saudi, far away from Manchester.”
Manchester United faces Southampton after a rough start to the season, including defeats to Brighton and Liverpool.
A loss on Saturday would mark their worst start since 1986-87, when manager Ron Atkinson was replaced by Sir Alex Ferguson.
Ten Hag also provided updates on his squad, confirming that full-back Luke Shaw remains unavailable, despite featuring in England’s Euro 2024 matches.
Striker Rasmus Hojlund is also out as he recovers from a hamstring injury. However, new signing Manuel Ugarte, who recently returned from international duty with Uruguay, is fit and ready to play.
In the midst of speculation surrounding his future at the club, Ten Hag remained composed, saying he is focused on the team’s progress.
“The outside noise doesn’t impact me,” he said. “We are still in a transition period, integrating young players and dealing with injuries, but we know we have to win every game. The team understands that, and so do I.”
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