Erik ten Hag believes Cristiano Ronaldo can again manage 20-plus goals for Manchester United this season. Ronaldo scored his third of the season in Thursday’s 3-0 Europa League victory over Sheriff at Old Trafford on his return from a one-game club suspension, imposed by the manager after his early disappearance down the tunnel against Spurs this month.
Last season he scored 24 times, 17 in the Premier League. Ten Hag was asked whether he believed Ronaldo could reach that milestone again.
“It’s up to him,” he said. “But I think when you collect all the chances he creates, the team creates for him in the last weeks, you see he’s still capable of getting in the right positions and he’s still capable of finishing them. I think it’s possible, yeah.”
Marcus Rashford, from a No 10 berth, scored his sixth of the season against Sheriff. Ten Hag has often preferred him to Ronaldo at No 9 for league matches and was asked whether the Portuguese could fight his way into the strongest XI.
“I know some see it like this but I don’t have a Europe team and I don’t have a Premier League team,” Ten Hag said. “I look at the opponent and what we need, what suits the opponent.”