With Manchester United sitting 19 points behind league leaders Arsenal, the title race now feels like a two-horse race between the Gunners and reigning champions Manchester City.
As a result, Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag is now relying on local rivals City to crush Arsenal's title dreams, otherwise the Dutchman will be left looking particularly foolish according to Piers Morgan. A passionate Gunners fan and friend of Cristiano Ronaldo, Morgan took issue with the way Ten Hag handled the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's Old Trafford exit.
Ronaldo failed to ever truly see eye-to-eye with Ten Hag during their time together and their relationship suffered irreparable damage after the 38-year-old held a one on one explosive interview with Morgan. In that exchange, the Portugal international took aim at everyone from the United manager to the club owners.
As a result, Ten Hag deemed Ronaldo's position at the club untenable and his contract was terminated soon after.
Despite the fact that United's form has hardly suffered in Ronaldo's absence, Morgan feels that if it is Arsenal lifting the title in May, Ten Hag owes the former United number seven an apology.
Speaking before the Gunners 3-2 win over the Red Devils at the Emirates in January, Morgan told talkSPORT : "Let’s not get the bunting out just yet, I think we’re (Arsenal) going to absolutely demolish them on Sunday and then, at that moment, I will remind them that they managed to lever out the greatest footballer in history because they thought that was a great idea."
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"When we win the league and when United do not win the league because they got rid of the GOAT, I expect Erik ten Hag to get on bended knee beg me for forgiveness and apologise to Cristiano Ronaldo for the shocking disrespect that he showed him."
In truth, any decline in United's form is hardly anything to do with Ronaldo's absence. Marcus Rashford has shown he is more than capable of stepping up to shoulder the goalscoring burden while his former team-mate plies his trade for Saudi outfit Al-Nassr.
Some have argued that Ronaldo would have been a more suitable option to lead the line than Wout Weghorst, but the much-maligned Dutch forward has not brought anywhere near as much off-field controversy.
Arsenal currently sit on 69 points with 10 games left to play, while City are eight points behind having played one game less.
Ten Hag may still have faint hopes that his United side can spring the mother of all surprises, but if he is to avoid feeling the wrath of Morgan once again he'll have to hope for a spectacular capitulation from the Gunners in the week to come.
