"He started pre-season last week" - Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag explains why he benched Cristiano Ronaldo

Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag has explained his reasoning behind benching superstar Cristiano Ronaldo in the club's Premier League season opener against Brighton Hove & Albion on August 7.

Ten Hag has opted to go with a 4-2-3-1 system against Graham Potter's side, handing new signings Christian Eriksen and Lisandro Martinez their Premier League debuts for the Red Devils. Meanwhile, in-form striker Anthony Martial is out with a hamstring strain.

Marcus Rashford has been burdened with the responsibility of leading the line at Old Trafford on Sunday in the absence of Martial and Ronaldo. Jadon Sancho is also set to start after recovering from an illness.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the season opener, Ten Hag shed light on his decision not to start Ronaldo. He said (via BBC):

"He is working really hard to get to the right fitness levels. That will take time, it is normal. He started pre-season last week."

When asked about his return date, he added:

"I cannot say, it depends on how quickly he is progressing. He will do everything to get to the fitness levels as soon as possible."

Speaking about Brighton, he said:

"This is a tough opponent. They play decent football. I really like them."

Manchester United won one and lost one Premier League contest against Brighton last season. The Red Devils picked up a 2-0 win at Old Trafford with Ronaldo getting on the scoresheet. However, the club went on to lose 4-0 at the Amex Stadium in the return fixture earlier in May this year.

After finishing sixth last season with a record-low points tally of 58, Manchester United are expected to make a fresh start in the 2022-23 campaign. The club are heading into the new season on the back of three wins, two draws and one loss in six pre-season friendlies.

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag urged to offload Cristiano Ronaldo

Writing in a column for Daily Mail, former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy opined on how Red Devils head coach Erik ten Hag could make a mark at his new club. He elaborated:

"Erik ten Hag has gone into Manchester United, a huge club, and is trying to implement his own philosophy. Yet he's doing so with a great deal of noise around him — and a lot of that noise is being created by Cristiano Ronaldo."

He added:

"I think this is a wonderful chance for Ten Hag to make his mark. Go to the United hierarchy and say: 'Let him go, I don't need the problems.'"

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner was reportedly linked with heavyweight clubs like Chelsea, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain earlier this summer. However, no transfer has yet materialized for the veteran Portuguese striker.