Interim manager Ralf Rangnick gives Cristiano Ronaldo update as forward misses his side’s 1-1 draw against Leicester City

Speaking to Sky Sports, as quoted by the club’s official website, Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick gave an update as to why forward Cristiano Ronaldo was missing from the squad as his side drew 1-1 against Leicester City.

In what was the first action in the Premier League after the international break, Ronaldo was missing from the team after he appeared in both of Portugal’s World Cup qualifiers, playing all 180 minutes of their two fixtures against Turkey and North Macedonia.

Rangnick confirmed that the Portugal skipper developed some flu-like symptoms yesterday, and the player had to be dropped after he did not feel well and could not train with the rest of the team.

“Unfortunately, he had some ‘flu-like symptoms, which he showed yesterday. Obviously, he should and would have played in the starting XI but he didn’t feel well and couldn’t train.”

His absence from the team was certainly felt, with United struggling in attack as they could not find a way past an average Leicester side to find an eventual winner. His country and club teammate Bruno Fernandes took his place in attack as a ‘false nine’ instead.

“He didn’t feel better”

However, Fernandes could not lead the line effectively as he continually dropped off to help the midfield as the Red Devils missed out on having a focal point in attack. Anthony Elanga and Jadon Sancho kept bombarding from the wings, but they too were unable to make their presence felt like Ronaldo often does.

Rangnick said that a doctor went by Ronaldo’s house in the morning to check on his condition, but the 37-year-old forward did not feel any better on matchday to feature in the game against the Foxes.

“Then the doctor went to see him at his house this morning to check again but he didn’t feel any better and that’s why, unfortunately, that’s why he hasn’t been able to play.”

After netting a hat-trick in his last Premier League outing against Tottenham Hotspur, Old Trafford would have been expecting the Portugal international to come through and repeat his heroics against Leicester.  

However, the draw meant that Spurs now have an opportunity to increase their gap in the league table over us and pull further away in the race for fourth spot, if they manage to beat Newcastle United tonight. As things stand, we are now level on points with the Lilywhites.

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Ronaldo was severely missed in the game, and although Fernandes occupied his role, he was unable to deliver. The midfielder could have put us ahead in the first half of the game, but his shot was weak and low, making it easy for Kasper Schmeichel to stop the strike.

That would prove costly eventually, with the team unable to capitalise on a good start in the match. It was two points dropped at home without Ronaldo, and hopefully, that is the last time we have to see that happen this term as we chase a top-four finish by the summer.