Manchester United are a better side without Cristiano Ronaldo and need to offload the forward at the earliest possible opportunity, according to Gary Neville.
Ronaldo was left out of the squad for Saturday's 1-1 draw with Chelsea after refusing to come on as a substitute and heading for the tunnel early in the 2-0 win over Tottenham.
Despite finishing as United's top scorer last season, the Portugal international has started just two of United's 11 Premier League matches under Erik ten Hag this term.
United have shown encouraging signs in the absence of Ronaldo, and former team-mate Neville believes the time is right for the player and the club to mutually part ways.
"Cristiano Ronaldo is going to have to go somewhere else and play every week because he can't accept being on the bench," Neville told Sky Sports.
"That's fine, but end it this week or create a truce to get to the World Cup and then end it. It has to end."
United have failed to win or indeed score in both league matches Ronaldo has started this season, losing 4-0 at Brentford and drawing 0-0 with Newcastle United.
That compares to six wins in the nine league games Ronaldo has not started, with United scoring 16 times at an average of 1.8 per game.
"There aren't many Manchester United fans who would now have Ronaldo in their starting eleven," added Neville, who spent two decades on United's books.
"They are better without him – they score more goals without him and they win more points without him. Manchester United are a better team without him.
"For me, Erik ten Hag had no other option. That's the second time Ronaldo has left Old Trafford before his team-mates have got into the changing room. That is unacceptable.
"When you look at whether Ronaldo should be selected, as great a player as he's been, Manchester United are better without him.
"Erik ten Hag knows that, so I think the only thing the club and Ronaldo can do is get together in this next week or so and end the relationship.
"Cristiano is too good a player, too fantastic a character and the club have got to move on.
"Ronaldo can't accept not being the star man in Manchester United's team so he's going to have to leave – that's it."
Ronaldo has been directly involved in three goals this season (two goals and one assist), a tally bettered only by Jadon Sancho (4), Anthony Martial (5) and Marcus Rashford (8).
He has played 691 minutes, which is only the 12th most of all United players, but another former United favourite in Roy Keane insists Ronaldo is being unfairly treated.
"I'm trying to see this from the player's point of view – he's obviously had enough," Keane said. "He lost his head [against Spurs]. That's been brewing over the last few weeks.
"I'm going to try and defend him. He's a human being and has got flaws, feeling frustrated that he's not getting opportunities and he's had enough.
"He walked down the tunnel but players have done worse things at Manchester United – it happens, it's human nature.
"Everyone was saying after the Spurs game it was United's best performance in years. Absolute rubbish. Spurs were terrible.
"Ronaldo got a hat-trick when United beat Spurs last season at home, so he's more than capable of getting on the pitch and making a difference."
Real Madrid hit Twente for seven, five-star Wolfsburg also win big
Real Madrid had six different goalscorers as they trounced Twente 7-0 in the Women's Champions League on Wednesday, while Wolfsburg beat Galatasaray 5-0.
Signe Bruun opened the scoring three minutes into the Group B encounter at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano, then Maria Mendez's header gave Madrid a 2-0 half-time lead.
Madrid, who had won one and lost one of their opening two games in the tournament, got a third through Naomie Feller five minutes into the second half, then Caroline Weir made it 4-0 with a brilliant free-kick.
Mendez headed home her second of the encounter shortly after the hour mark, while Oihane Hernandez and Carla Camacho got on the scoresheet late on to complete the rout.
The victory took Madrid second in the Group B standings ahead of Chelsea's trip to Celtic.
Wolfsburg were also convincing victors in Group A, getting off the mark for this season's competition as Rebecka Blomqvist scored a hat-trick in their 5-0 thrashing of Galatasaray.
The Bundesliga side – who failed to pick up a point or score a goal in their opening two matches – had a narrow 1-0 lead at half-time through Joelle Wedemeyer, before Blomqvist took centre-stage in the second period.
She tapped home after Janina Minge struck the crossbar, then added her second goal in the 77th minute and her third six minutes into stoppage time.
Vivien Endemann powered home a fifth for Wolfsburg one minute later, as they provisionally moved within three points of Lyon and Roma ahead of their meeting.
Amorim will 'change the energy' at Man Utd, says Fernandes
Ruben Amorim has been backed to "change the energy" at Manchester United by club captain Bruno Fernandes.
Amorim officially took the reins as United head coach on Monday, with Ruud van Nistelrooy having served as interim boss after Erik ten Hag was sacked last month.
The 39-year-old enjoyed a wildly successful four-year spell in charge of Sporting CP, which began in March 2020, two months after the Lisbon giants sold Fernandes to United.
Amorim delivered two Primeira Liga and two Taca da Liga trophies during his time at the Estadio Jose Alvalade, recording a 71% win rate through 231 matches at the helm (164 wins, 34 draws, 33 losses).
In the Primeira Liga, they won 77% of their games under him (120/156), the best win ratio of any team across Europe's top 10 leagues since he took charge.
Amorim's first game in charge of United will be a Premier League trip to Ipswich Town on November 24, and Fernandes has faith that he can change their fortunes.
"I hope he does the same here because you know sometimes a person can change the energy of a space, if it's the right moment," Fernandes told United's media channels.
"We hope this is the right moment for him to come and bring his energy, bring his qualities and his knowledge of football, because he's done something really, really special at Sporting.
"If someone doubts that, it's about just looking at the past. Sporting was to be about 20 years without winning the league, and he got back to win the league, and he won it two times in four years with a really youthful team, in a moment of change.
"So hopefully he can do the same here for us and [hopefully] it's going to be a successful time for all of us."
Amorim will become the youngest coach to lead United since a 33-year-old Wilf McGuinness took charge of them on Boxing Day 1970 against Derby County, and Fernandes believes one of his main strengths is his man-management style.
"Obviously for me, what stands out as I said to you is the connection he has with the players," Fernandes added.
"I've seen many, many moments where players were struggling and he kept his faith in them. He always goes to the press conference and defends his players.
"He had a really youthful team so they needed that and hopefully when he comes here he can do the same again with the youth.
"Us players with the most experience, we have to help him to get that and get the best out of every player at this club."
Malacia makes Man Utd comeback after 17 months out
Tyrell Malacia made his injury comeback after a 17-month spell on the sidelines, returning for Manchester United Under-21s against Huddersfield in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday.
The Netherlands international has not played since coming off the bench for his country against Croatia in the Nations League semi-final in June 2023.
Since that game, Malacia has had knee surgery twice in an attempt to solve an injury that had proved difficult to manage.
The 25-year-old made 39 appearances in all competitions for United after signing in the 2022-23 season, but has not featured for the first team since.
He played for 45 minutes in Huddersfield and was taken off at half-time, although it was a quiet night for him and he rarely got on the ball.
Malacia's return to competitive action coincided with the day that new head coach Ruben Amorim met some of United's senior players at the training ground.
Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Leny Yoro, Kobbie Mainoo and Toby Collyer were all among the players he saw while doing their individual injury rehab.
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