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Former footballer Demba Ba believes Cristiano Ronaldo will fit into the plans of potential Manchester United interim boss Ralf Rangnick. Ba feels Rangnick has the ability to bring out the best version of the players he manages.
Speaking to beIN Sports, the former Chelsea striker said (as quoted by Manchester Evening News):
“Yes. I believe yes (on Cristiano Ronaldo fitting into Rangnick's plans). Rangnick has that intelligence to get the best out of the players. Also, I believe that he also has that intelligence to adapt to that squad he has, when he has it.”
Ba's claims carry a lot of credence as he played under Rangnick during the latter's time at Hoffenheim in Germany. His words will also boost the confidence of Manchester United's fanbase, who have seen their team struggle in recent weeks.
The Red Devils sacked Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after the club's 4-1 humbling at Watford on November 20. Michael Carrick has taken over the reins for the time being and has overseen two positive results already. Manchester United beat Villarreal 2-0 in the Champions League on November 23 courtesy of goals from Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho.
Carrick's side then followed up that result by coming away with a point from Stamford Bridge last night (November 28). Despite these two results, the Englishman is unlikely to stay at the helm for long.
Manchester United have reportedly agreed to a deal with Rangnick, with only a work permit yet to be obtained. The process for the same is rumored to be taking time, meaning Carrick is likely to stay on the touchline for United's midweek match against Arsenal.
Cristiano Ronaldo benched for Manchester United's draw against Chelsea
Michael Carrick's tenure as Manchester United's interim boss has already seen him make some major decisions. The first was to drop Bruno Fernandes for the Red Devils' match against Villarreal. But the headline move by Carrick was demoting Cristiano Ronaldo to the bench against Chelsea.
United looked a brighter side in Ronaldo's absence, pressing high and forcing a few Chelsea errors. In fact, it was one of those mistakes that saw Jadon Sancho net their only goal of the night.
Cristiano Ronaldo did enter the field in the second half, replacing Sancho with 26 minutes to play. But the Portuguese hardly impacted the game, only managing a yellow card during his time on the pitch. Manchester United's pressing also seemed to fall away with Ronaldo's arrival, though this could have also been due to general fatigue.
The performance led many to question whether Ronaldo would fit in with Ralf Rangnick's ideology. Rangnick has always been known for his high-pressing, high-octane football. Many doubt whether Cristiano Ronaldo can contribute to that at 36 years of age.
That said, the Portuguese has been an invaluable member of the United squad so far this season. He has netted 10 goals in 16 outings for the Red Devils since arriving in the summer from Juventus.
It thus remains to be seen how the German manages the situation upon his arrival.
