"I wanted us to be more solid this time" - Ralf Rangnick reveals reason behind Cristiano Ronaldo's substitution in Manchester United's 3-1 win against Brentford

Ralf Rangnick opened up on his decision to take Cristiano Ronaldo off in the second half during Manchester United's 3-1 win over Brentford in the Premier League.

The 36-year-old forward cut a frustrated figure when he was subbed off on the 71st minute. He was replaced by club captain Harry Maguire with United 2-0 up in the game. Rangnick brought on an extra defender to avoid throwing away a two-goal lead like they did in the 2-2 draw against Aston Villa last weekend.

It is also worth mentioning that Cristiano Ronaldo missed the last two matches for the club after picking up a minor hip injury. Rangnick does not see substituting the star forward as an issue and said the following in that regard:

"It's normal. Ronaldo is a striker and he wants to score goals. He’s just come back from injury — we were 2-0 up the same result as at Villa Park, and I wanted us to be more solid this time."

Manchester United returned to winning ways in the Premier League after securing a routine 3-1 win over Brentford. Goals from Anthony Elanga, Mason Greenwood and Marcus Rashford were enough for the Red Devils to secure all three points. Ivan Toney grabbed a consolation goal for the Bees in the 85th minute to deny David de Gea a well deserved clean sheet.

Despite winning their first game in three outings, United remain seventh in the league standings, having picked up 35 points from 21 games. They are now level with sixth-placed Arsenal. However, the Gunners have a game in hand.

Next up, Manchester United have a key clash against West Ham United over the weekend as they aim to close the gap on their top four rivals. A win at Old Trafford would take Ralf Rangnick's side above the Hammers in the league standings.

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Cristiano Ronaldo still remains Manchester United's top goalscorer this season

Despite not scoring in his last two matches, Cristiano Ronaldo remains United's top goalscorer this season. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has netted 14 goals in 22 appearances across all competitions.

However, other attacking players in the squad have also started to chip-in with vital goals for the club. Fellow Portuguese star Bruno Fernandes netted a brace against Aston Villa while young forwards Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood scored against Brentford. The 36-year-old forward, however, is still the club's talisman and main source of goals.