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Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to start when Manchester United host West Ham United at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Ralf Rangnick's side are coming into the game against the Hammers on the back of a 3-1 win over newly-promoted Brentford. Goals from Anthony Elanga, Mason Greenwood and Marcus Rashford were enough for the Red Devils to secure all three points in midweek.
Ronaldo started the game against Brentford after missing the previous two games due to a hip injury. However, the 36-year-old forward was taken off by Rangnick with 20 minutes left. Ronaldo was seen as unhappy with that decision by the manager.
Despite his unhappiness, there are no fitness concerns surrounding the Portuguese forward, as mentioned by Ralf Rangnick in the pre-match press conference.
This could imply that the German manager will start Cristiano Ronaldo in attack against West Ham. Similar to Brentford, the five-time Ballon d'Or could be partnered alongside Anthony Elanga, Mason Greenwood and Bruno Fernandes in attack.
In other team news, Manchester United will be without the full-back duo of Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Rangnick confirmed in the press conference that both Alex Telles and Diogo Dalot are set to keep their positions in the starting XI.
Meanwhile, Jadon Sancho's availability is still in doubt after he attended a family funeral and is still affected by the same. Victor Lindelof, on the other hand, is out due to personal reasons following a break-in at his place.
Manchester United will want Cristiano Ronaldo to continue his good form against West Ham
Cristiano Ronaldo has had a great record against West Ham United. That was shown when he scored in a 2-1 win at the London Stadium earlier this season.
Ronaldo's overall record against West Ham currently stands at six goals and one assist in eight Premier League matches.
As things stand, Cristiano Ronaldo is Manchester United's leading goalscorer this season. The 36-year-old forward has scored 14 goals in 22 appearances across all competitions.
Manchester United's tie against West Ham is crucial in the context of the battle for the top four. David Moyes' side are currently occupying the fourth spot after picking up 37 points from 22 games. Meanwhile, Manchester United are seventh on 35 points from 21 matches.
The Red Devils have a chance to leapfrog the Hammers if they can secure a win at Old Trafford at the weekend.
But it is worth noting that even a win against West Ham might not be enough for Manchester United to lead the top four race. As things stand, fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur are just a point behind West Ham and have three games in hand.
