Maybe the most telling words in the Manchester United statement that confirmed Cristiano Ronaldo has been banished from the first-team squad for the rest of this week actually came towards the end.
The 37-year-old forward won't be part of the squad to face Chelsea on Saturday and he won't be involved in the preparations for the trip to Stamford Bridge. His petulant actions on Wednesday night have been dealt with by Erik ten Hag, a display of power and ruthlessness that felt just as decisive as the performance against Tottenham the previous evening.
But after confirming Ronaldo's punishment, a decision taken solely by Ten Hag and backed by the club, United added an extra line. "The rest of the squad is fully focused on preparing for that fixture," they said.
