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Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has hit back at critics who have questioned the impact Cristiano Ronaldo will have on the Red Devils this season.
A number of fans and pundits believe Cristiano Ronaldo will be unable to have the same impact on Manchester United as he had during his first spell with the club.
His former Manchester United teammate Rio Ferdinand has been left flabbergasted by the criticism the five-time Ballon d'Or winner has received in recent weeks. Ferdinand reminded critics that Cristiano Ronaldo finished ahead of Chelsea new-boy Romelu Lukaku in the Serie A goal-scoring charts last season.
"I keep saying it. He outscored Lukaku last season in Serie A, who everyone is saying is a new man, he's this. And listen, Lukaku is the guy but you cant then say you're worried about Cristiano Ronaldo because he's 36," Ferdinand told his Vibe with Five Youtube channel.
'He's not any old 36-year-old. Get that out of your mind, he's different. He's separate. He's different from any other 36-year-old there's been and probably ever will be in the game because physically and mentally he's on a different stratosphere to everyone else," added Ferdinand.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his third goal for Manchester United in just his second game for the club this season in the Red Devils' opening Champions League game of the season.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side suffered a shock 2-1 defeat to Swiss side Young Boys. Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring for the Premier League giants in the 13th minute. Aaron Wan-Bissaka was shown a red card in the 35th minute, which changed the game completely.
Young Boys scored a well-deserved equalizer in the 66th minute before scoring the winner in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Romelu Lukaku, and Mohamed Salah to be part of three-horse race for the Golden Boot this season
Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo, Chelsea hitman Romelu Lukaku, and Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah are early contenders for the Premier League Golden Boot this season.
While Salah has won the Premier League Golden Boot twice, Cristiano Ronaldo has finished as the English top flight's top scorer once. Despite his remarkable goalscoring record, Romelu Lukaku has not won the award yet.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brace in his second debut for Manchester United against Newcastle on Saturday. Romelu Lukaku has scored three goals in his first three Premier League games for Chelsea. Mohamed Salah has scored three goals and provided two assists in Liverpool's opening four league games this season.
Tottenham star Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy could also join Cristiano Ronaldo, Lukaku, and Salah in the race for the Golden Boot despite enduring slow starts to the season.
