EPL

Ronaldo neck injury leaves Man Utd with striker shortage for West Ham clash

By Sports Desk January 21, 2022

Cristiano Ronaldo has emerged as an injury doubt for the Premier League match between Manchester United and West Ham on Saturday.

The Portugal star played 71 minutes of the 3-1 win at Brentford on Wednesday before being substituted - a decision with which he was clearly annoyed.

Interim manager Ralf Rangnick insisted he had no problem with the player becoming frustrated at going off and that it would not affect his chances of facing the Hammers at Old Trafford.

However, Rangnick later confirmed Ronaldo suffered a neck injury during the victory over Brentford that could keep him out of the game.

"Cristiano is a question mark because he has a problem with his neck," he said to MUTV on Friday.

"He received treatment yesterday [Thursday] for two, three hours and we will have to wait to see how he feels today."

Edinson Cavani missed the match at Brentford Community Stadium and he too is facing a race to be fit for the visit of David Moyes' men.

"Edi hasn't been training with the team yet and will hopefully resume training today and then we'll take the final decision after the training session, [around] if he will be available for the game," Rangnick said.

Losing Ronaldo and Cavani presents United with a possible striker shortage given Anthony Martial is attempting to secure a move away from the club.

Rangnick left Martial out of the 2-2 draw at Aston Villa, saying the France international had told him he did not want to be involved – a claim Martial later disputed.

Jesse Lingard will be available to face the club for whom he excelled on loan last season, while Jadon Sancho, who missed the Brentford match due to a family funeral, could be involved.

"We need to see where Jadon stands," said Rangnick. "He didn't train yesterday. As you know, he attended a funeral on Wednesday and didn't want to train yesterday as he is still affected by that. We will have to see.

"I will see him for training today and speak with him after the training session, to see if he is in the state of mind, and also his energy [is there], so he can be available for tomorrow."

Aaron Wan-Bissaka will also be missing again with illness, while Victor Lindelof will sit out the game after a burglary of his family home, but midfielder Scott McTominay hopes to be involved after battling a back problem.

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    Ronaldo, who has scored the most goals in history, is still starring for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, while he is a regular starter for Portugal under Roberto Martinez.

    The former Real Madrid superstar turns 40 in February, though is showing no signs of slowing down and has already scored 10 goals for his club this season.

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    "I now face my life as living in the moment. I can't think long term anymore," Ronaldo said after receiving the Platinum Quinas, the highest honour available to Portuguese players.

    "I said that I wanted to reach 1,000 goals, but it seems that now everything is easy, just last month I reached 900.

    "It's about living in the moment, seeing how my legs will respond in the next few years. If I reach 1,000 goals, that's fine, but if I don't, I'm already the player with the most goals in history."

    FPF president Fernando Gomes hailed Ronaldo as "an ambassador for Portugal".

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    He said: "I believe there is nothing better than representing the national team. Coming to play for the national team, and representing the entire country — all its culture, your children, your mother, your father, your best friends — that is why I often feel disappointed with some players who do not want to represent the national team.

    "Time flies, and there is nothing better than playing. I hear many people say that Portugal is a small country. Portugal is a great country. We need to think that way; we must believe that, regardless of the country's size, we have everything: an extraordinary country, the infrastructures we have, the stadiums, the magnificent coaches we have.

    "The potential of these players, the stars we have, we just need to refine a few edges and believe that one day we will be great."

    Ronaldo's Portugal host Poland in the Nations League on Friday before taking on Croatia three days later.

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