Cristiano Ronaldo has endured a difficult few weeks lately - and he was unable to hide his frustration after spurning a golden chance to bag his 700th career goal on Thursday night.
Just days after Erik ten Hag admitted that Ronaldo was "p***** off" at a lack of first-team action, the 37-year-old played the full 90 minutes in Manchester United's frenetic 3-2 win over Nicosia Omonia. A brace from Marcus Rashford and a second-half strike from fellow substitute Anthony Martial was enough to spare the Red Devils' blushes, but the striker's struggles continued.
The former Real Madrid and Juventus star is currently hunting down his latest goalscoring milestone, and a start against Omonia seemed like the perfect opportunity for him to achieve that feat.
But with the goal at his mercy late in the game, Ronaldo produced a shocking miss from six yards out to sum up his current woes - a moment that left even the man himself utterly bewildered.
Ronaldo, who has been reduced to a bit-part role at Old Trafford in recent weeks, has scored just once so far this term. He did, however, manage to tee up Rashford for the winning goal in Cyprus and also had a hand in United's opener.
And Ten Hag, who has started Ronaldo in all three of Manchester United's European fixtures so far this term and repeatedly backed the veteran, had plenty of praise for Ronaldo's performance - even though the striker blanked again.
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"I think the first two [shots he had produced] good saves from the goalie," Ten Hag told the club's in-house media. "He had a couple of chances, also he created a couple of chances.
"He was in for a good move and run for the first goal with Marcus Rashford, so he had an impact in this game."
Old Trafford icon Paul Scholes is also adamant that the veteran will come good. And he insisted that Ronaldo should start Sunday's match against Everton alongside Rashford and Martial - even though he missed a hatful of chances against Omonia.
Scholes told BT Sport on Thursday night: "There aren't a lot of games Cristiano will be able to play in but I think Everton could be one of them. It's not a massive pitch, he won't have to be sprinting out everywhere, working the channels.
"When he's got two wide lads who have got goals in them, I think the two wide lads that played today, Jadon Sancho and Antony, I know Antony scored on Sunday [against Man City], but I think Martial and Rashford look more dangerous. I think they've got a little bit more about them, they can go either way, they're quick, and defenders will be frightened to death of them."
He added: "Cristiano, okay, he had a lot of chances tonight, it didn't quite work for him, it wasn't quite his night, but that won't happen for long with Cristiano. If he gets chances, if he gets chances on Sunday he will score."
