“He is a selfish player" - Paul Ince slams Cristiano Ronaldo for 'sulking' and setting a 'bad example' at Manchester United

As Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United continue to struggle, the 5-time Ballon d'Or has repeatedly found himself in the firing line for his attitude and reactions to being substituted or left on the bench. The latest incident presented itself just after the final whistle of the club's recent 1-1 away draw against Burnley, when the 37-ear-old chose to head straight down the tunnel instead of thanking the fans.

Although his hunger to play, score goals and win is undeniable, Cristiano Ronaldo's habit of publicly displaying his displeasure when left out has only added to Manchester United's increasing woes as they struggle to secure a top-four Premier League finish.

Former Manchester United player Paul Ince was among the many to criticize him for his behavior. Ince believes that the Portuguese superstar is being 'selfish,' and that his 'sulking' is not setting a good example at Manchester United.

Speaking to SunSport, he said:

“People were saying he would be great for the club, the players and the youngsters. We thought that would be the case but the example he is setting, by throwing his toys out of the pram, is a bad one.

“Why would you listen to someone who is prepared to act the way he is? As we’ve seen on numerous occasions - running down the tunnel, not clapping fans, sulking - it’s not a good example to set.

“I get the frustration but you’ve got to take that out behind closed doors, not in full view of the fans and cameras.”

He added:

“He was flying when he started but then he stopped getting the service, started dropping deeper to where he wasn’t a danger to anybody, and then the frustration came.

“He is a selfish player - Ronaldo is about Ronaldo. If he isn’t scoring, he won’t be happy. We saw it at Juventus when, after he left, Giorgio Chiellini said they can be a family again.

“It should be about Manchester United and the team but it’s become all about him, and now we are seeing the full frustration.”

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Paul Ince believes Cristiano Ronaldo will stay at Manchester United only on one condition

Playing time at Manchester United will be non-negotiable for Cristiano Ronaldo, according to Paul Ince

Several recent reports have suggested that the Portuguese superstar will almost certainly leave Manchester United should they fail to qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League.

Speaking about the 37-year-old's future at the club, Paul Ince claimed that he could stay at the club if Mauricio Pochettino takes over from Ralf Rangnick as the next manager. However, playing time will be non-negotiable. He said:

“Whether he stays next year, I don’t know. It depends on who comes in at the end of the season. If Rangnick stays, I think you’ll see Cristiano Ronaldo going.

“If Mauricio Pochettino comes in, he might stay. But he has to play - you can’t be paying someone half a million pounds a week to sit on the bench against Burnley when you need three points.

“If he’s not playing, I can’t see him being here next season.”

The Red Devils host Brighton tonight in a must-win Premier League clash after two consecutive draws against Burnley and Southampton.