“You’ve got a game in three days” – Rio Ferdinand reacts to Cristiano Ronaldo’s anger on being substituted by Manchester United

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand believes Ralf Rangnick was justified in substituting Cristiano Ronaldo against Brentford.

Ronaldo's reaction at being substituted in the second half drew plenty of attention during the Red Devils' 3-1 victory last night (19 January). Interim boss Rangnick took off the Portuguese forward in the 71st minute and replaced him with Harry Maguire with his side 2-0 up at the time.

Ronaldo looked upset at being brought off. It was revealed later on that Rangnick went to his forward and explained the reason for taking him off.

While reviewing the situation on BT Sport after the game, Ferdinand said (as quoted by the Daily Post):

“He’s (Cristiano Ronaldo) looking to score goals. 2-0 up and he’s thinking I’ve got a chance to get up the goalscoring charts.”

The former Manchester United centre-back lauded Rangnick for the decision, stating:

“You can see the disappointment but I thought that the manager handled it well. He spoke to him on the side and talked about the bigger picture. You’ve got a game in three days and so you can get your goals there.”

It is worth noting that the Red Devils were 2-0 up midway through the second half against Aston Villa last weekend. They then let the lead slip and ended up taking only a point from the game. Consequently, Rangnick's ploy to bring on Maguire is likely to have been in a bid to avoid a similar situation.

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Cristiano Ronaldo's return from injury a welcome sign for Manchester United

Cristiano Ronaldo was restored to Manchester United's starting line-up for the game against Brentford last night. Ronaldo missed the Red Devils' previous two games, both of which were against Aston Villa in the FA Cup and Premier League, due to a hip flexor injury.

While he couldn't mark his return with a goal, the 36-year-old's record of 14 goals in 22 matches across all competitions suggests he isn't too far away from one. Ronaldo's return will also be welcome news for Rangnick as his side prepare to battle it out for a top-four finish.

Manchester United are currently seventh in the Premier League but are only two points adrift of West Ham United in the final UEFA Champions League spot. They host the Hammers in a high-voltage league fixture this weekend and a win could take them into the top four.

However, Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. will know that the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are also hot on their heels.