Cristiano Ronaldo hinted that he could be staying at Manchester United as he mouthed a message to the Sky Sports cameras after the win over Brentford.
The Portugal star's future is up in the air with claims that he won't be a part of Erik ten Hag's rebuild despite the clinical form that he has shown throughout his first season since returning to United last summer.
It's reported that Ronaldo is looking to play Champions League football and is not willing to buy into Ten Hag's project with wholesale changes expected in the summer.
But Ronaldo appeared to send a clear message to Ten Hag that he is here to stay as he put in another vintage performance against Brentford with the Red Devils claiming a 3-1 win. As the Portugal star joined his United teammates in a lap of honour after the match in what was their final home game of the season, he seemed to say to the camera: "I'm not finished."
Jamie Carragher spotted the moment in the Sky Sports studio, saying: "That's a message to Erik ten Hag."
If that was Ronaldo's final game in front of the Old Trafford faithful, he could hardly go out on a better note. The 37-year-old maintained his brilliant run of form scoring United's second goal from the spot-kick after Bruno Fernandes ' opener.
He did brilliantly well to outmuscle Brentford defender Rico Henry on the touchline, and he would end up barging Ronaldo over in the box. The United forward emphatically smashed the ball into the back of the net.
Ronaldo had a goal chalked off in the first half at 1-0 as VAR ruled out the strike for offside which he was visibly frustrated about. He also had a penalty shout that was waved away by referee Chris Kavanagh, which Ronaldo protested all the way into half-time as he confronted the official in the tunnel.
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After the match, pundit Roy Keane hailed Ronaldo's performance but the fact United have continued to "hang their hat" on the attacker highlights the problems at the club.
He said: "Very good. Brentford, no aggression in their play and no intensity, comfortable enough for Ronaldo. I bet he wished every game like that. Finishing the season on a high at Old Trafford. He deserved a goal.
"When you’re hanging your hat on a 37-year-old, that’s not good. As brilliant as Ronaldo is, United are too dependent on the strikers. Defensively, they’re not good enough. Midfield not good enough. Huge job for the new manager."
