Diogo Dalot has claimed Manchester United are a "better team" when Cristiano Ronaldo is on the pitch.
Ronaldo has made just two starts in the Premier League this season, which came against Brentford and Newcastle, and Erik ten Hag has preferred to play Marcus Rashford down the middle, who he views as the more 'dynamic' option in attack.
Although Ronaldo was the club's top goalscorer last season, scoring a total of 24 goals, his minutes have now been reduced and he's made the majority of his starts in the Europa League, which is a competition he did not want to feature in this term.
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Ronaldo's future has been a talking point all season, but the general consensus is that United have performed better without him.
Gary Neville even suggested as much last week. "When you look at whether Cristiano should be selected, Manchester United are better without him - and Erik ten Hag knows that," said Neville when discussing the forward's outburst against Tottenham.
"The only thing that Cristiano and the club can do is get together in the next week and end the relationship."
However, Dalot disagrees with that statement, as he has claimed United are stronger with the 37-year-old on the pitch.
"Obviously everything that happened is private," Dalot told Sky Sports on Friday afternoon when asked about Ronaldo. "We want to keep it inside the locker room. As a team, this is what should happen, we are just very happy to have Cristiano.
"Yesterday [Thursday vs FC Sheriff], he scored a goal, this is what he has been doing for 20 years now and every time he's on the pitch, every time he's helping us, we are a better team and we are just happy that he's here."
Ten Hag praised Ronaldo on Thursday night and he could make his third league start of the season against West Ham on Sunday.
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