Former Manchester United striker Louis Saha has said attention should be directed away from ageing former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo and instead placed on other members of the squad who are likely to be at the club long-term.
The Portugal captain is the club’s top scorer this season with 18 goals to his name, including three in Saturday’s 3-2 win over Tottenham. Ronaldo, 37, has scored four in all against Spurs this term and two against Arsenal, but none against the top three.
He has attracted criticism because of this with United stuck in fifth, a point behind the Gunners in the Premier League table having played two games more. Saha suggested that fans’ grievances should not be directed at Ronaldo but at the likes of Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Anthony Elanga.
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“At Ronaldo's age, we shouldn't even be giving him the responsibility to play up front against Arsenal or Chelsea and expect him to score goals,” he told SPORTbible , via Freebets.com. "With all the respect, I don't think Rashford or anyone else in that squad is anywhere near his level, even at his age.
"I've seen Ronaldo has had a so-called 'bad spell' of going seven or eight games without scoring - which is human. But people shouldn't be focused on him, they should be focused on Rashford, Sancho, Elanga - those players who are here for the longer term. Being in the first team, there's no question about that - Ronaldo is still the main man for United."
Sancho and Rashford have scored five goals apiece this season while Elanga is currently on three. The English duo have been left out of Gareth Southgate’s England squad ahead of next week’s international friendlies.
Explaining their omissions, the Three Lions boss said: "Jadon's performances have improved at Manchester United, but it is an area where we have big competition for places.
“You just have to look at the other attacking players in the squad: Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, Phil Foden." He continued: “He’s (Rashford) in the same position as everyone else. They've all got to play well over the next period at the end of this season and the beginning of the next season.
"It's a difficult time for him. He's clearly not at his best but there's plenty of time. We know a lot about Marcus anyway, we know what he can bring to us, and hopefully he can rediscover that form that we know he's capable of."
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Meanwhile, Elanga earned a call-up to the senior Sweden squad for the first time.
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