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Manchester United superstar Cristiano Ronaldo had a match to forget the last time the Red Devils faced Brighton & Hove Albion.
Manchester United are set to play their first official match under new manager Erik ten Hag on Sunday (August 7). They will lock horns with Brighton at Old Trafford in their first game of the 2022-23 Premier League campaign.
Supporters are eagerly waiting to see how the Red Devils perform under their new boss. However, the Dutchman has one major headache ahead of the match against the Seagulls on Sunday.
Anthony Martial, who started five of Manchester United's pre-season friendlies, has been ruled out of the match due to a hamstring injury. The centre-forward position has thus emerged as an area of concern for Ten Hag.
The former Ajax manager still has five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo at his disposal. However, the forward got just 45 minutes of action under his belt during the pre-season.
It is unclear whether Ronaldo will feature for the Red Devils against Brighton on Sunday. The Portuguese icon, though, did not have a good time the last time he faced Graham Potter's side.
Manchester United locked horns with Brighton at the Amex Stadium in their penultimate match of the 2021-22 season. Ronaldo was among those who started for Ralf Rangnick's side that day.
The Red Devils, though, fell to a crushing 4-0 defeat to Potter and Co. at the Amex. Moises Caicedo, Marc Cucurella, Pascal Gross and Leandro Trossard were on the scoresheet for the hosts.
Caicedo opened the scoring for Brighton just 15 minutes into the game. The Ecuador international netted his first goal for the club, beating David de Gea with a low drive from outside the box.
Cucurella went on to double the Seagulls' lead early on in the second half. The Spanish left-back combined with Trossard to find the back of the net for the Potters' side.
Trossard then set up Gross for Brighton's third 57 minutes into the game. It did not take long before the Belgium international got in on the act himself, adding to Manchester United's woes.
Ronaldo's performance was summed up by him blasting over from a free-kick in the first-half. The former Real Madrid superstar was also booked for a challenge on Brighton's Lewis Dunk.
The 37-year-old appeared to be a helpless figure throughout the match that took place in May. He could not help but smile as the Red Devils suffered a 4-0 beating at the hands of Brighton.
Cristiano Ronaldo's future at Manchester United is uncertain
The defeat to Brighton mathematically ended Manchester United's chances of finishing in the top four last term. The Red Devils' failure to do so has raised doubts about Cristiano Ronaldo's future at the club.
Cristiano Ronaldo is keen to continue playing Champions League football as he heads towards the end of his career. He has even asked the Old Trafford outfit to allow him to leave as a result.
The Premier League giants, though, have maintained that the forward will not be sold. It now remains to be seen where the future holds for the Portuguese icon.
