Erik ten Hag said Cristiano Ronaldo remains in his plans - but refused to confirm if the forward will stay at Manchester United.
Ronaldo wants to leave United, with the brooding icon's disillusionment affecting morale within the United dressing-room. Ten Hag was asked if he could confirm if Ronaldo would still be a United player on September 2, the day after the transfer window shuts.
But the United boss, who has lost his first two Premier League games in charge, was unable to confirm Ronaldo will be staying put. "He's in our plans, that's what I can say," said Ten Hag.
When pushed on Ronaldo's attitude in last Saturday's 4-0 defeat at Brentford, Ten Hag said: "I don't know why he's a particular focus after Saturday, it was the team performance, the whole team's attitude, including Ronaldo." United host arch rivals Liverpool on Monday, with Ten Hag admitting he knows how much is at stake for him and his players. "I know the rivalry, we are the rivals," said Ten Hag. "We have to win every game, especially this game. Every game is different, a different approach, philosophy but the plan will be the same."
Ten Hag has been boosted by the news that Anthony Martial has resumed training having missed United's first two games of with a hamstring injury. The Frenchman, who has been welcomed back into the fold at Old Trafford having spent the second half of last season on loan at Ligue 1 club Monaco, is still yet to regain full fitness but with a full week of training behind him heading into Monday’s tie with Liverpool, it is hoped that he may be rewarded with at least a place on the bench at Old Trafford.
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Swedish centre-back Victor Lindelof, however, is still out with knock and will miss out. “Victor has not returned to the training pitch but the good news is that Anthony Martial is back in training with the team,” Ten Hag said on Friday. United fans are planning protests agains the Glazers ahead of the Liverpool game, with ten Hag claiming the team need their supporters to get behind them after a difficult start to the campaign. He added: “I can only say the owners want to win and the fans, we want them behind the club, and I can understand sometimes. But I am not that long in the club to see all the background, we have to fight together and be unified.
"Obviously, a lot went wrong [against Brentford], but we don't have to talk about anything when the attitude is not right. First, I look myself and make a clear analysis, I take some notice of some criticism, some are really good, good advisors but also some are not that good. We work from game to game, and Liverpool, obviously we know what's going on when we play Liverpool - you have to be ready and to fight yourself into the season but it's from game to game.”
