Cristiano Ronaldo handed Man Utd start, as Ole names eye-watering front five
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer handed Cristiano Ronaldo his second Manchester United debut on Saturday after naming the forward in his starting XI against Newcastle.
Ronaldo signed a two-year contract with the option of a further season when completing his deadline-day switch from Juventus, just days after United struck the blockbuster deal.
Solskjaer admitted this week that the 36-year-old would be on the field for United after arriving back at the club from Juventus.
Solskjaer said: “He’s been having a good pre-season with Juventus, he’s played for the national team and he’s had a good week with us here. He will definitely be on the pitch at some stage that’s for sure.
“Yeah, he’s been good. Of course we’ve followed his career from afar since he left here and I think everyone’s very, very happy to have him back.”
???????? ??
The news we’ve all been waiting for… #MUFC | #MUNNEW
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) September 11, 2021
Ronaldo will start alongside United’s other two major summer signings Raphael Varane and Jadon Sancho.
Solskjaer has made two changes from the side that started the 1-0 win at Wolves on 29 August. Midfielder Nemanja Matic returns.
Daniel James, who started at Molineux, has left to join Leeds; Fred drops to the bench.
Give our social media channels a follow – we’re on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Penalty duty
Asked in the week if Ronaldo would be on penalties, Solskjaer said: “I knew that question was going to come and of course, I’ve had a chat with the two of them.
“We’ve got two players there that I’d trust with my life to put a penalty away and that’s a great position got be in.
“They’ll know via the conversations we’ve had and the conversations we’ll have before the games how we’re going to solve this.
“It’s going to be my decision what’ll happen. The two of them will keep on doing what they do when they’re asked to take the penalties.”
Put to Solskjaer that Fernandes and Marcus Rashford shared penalties at the start of last season, he added: “I’ve got Cristiano, Bruno, Marcus, I’ve got players I trust to score every time they step up to take a penalty.
“I’ve had this conversation, of course, and they know my position on it. They know that I decide who is going to shoot the penalty if we get one.
“That’s not going to cause an issue. We’re here to win together. It’s not about my numbers or your numbers. It’s about us as a team and the decision is going to be mine.”
READ MORE: Betting Preview: Man Utd vs Newcastle – Magpies to suffer on Ronaldo’s homecoming
The post Cristiano Ronaldo handed Man Utd start, as Ole names eye-watering front five appeared first on TEAMtalk.