Nottingham Forest will face a Manchester United side without Cristiano Ronaldo when the Premier League season resumes.
The Reds’ first league game after the World Cup break is a trip to Old Trafford. That match will take place on December 27, but Forest’s opponents have already taken a significant decision several weeks before the two sides meet.
United have announced that Ronaldo is to leave the club with immediate effect. They say the decision was made by mutual agreement.
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A statement said: “Cristiano Ronaldo is to leave Manchester United by mutual agreement, with immediate effect.
“The club thanks him for his immense contribution across two spells at Old Trafford, scoring 145 goals in 346 appearances, and wishes him and his family well for the future.
“Everyone at Manchester United remains focused on continuing the team’s progress under Erik ten Hag and working together to deliver success on the pitch.”
The decision comes after Ronaldo caused uproar when he did an explosive interview with Piers Morgan. In it, he spoke out against the club’s owners, Ten Hag, the Carrington facilities, former defender Gary Neville and a number of other topics.
Forest’s first game back in action will be in the Carabao Cup, when they travel to face Blackburn Rovers. They then take on Ten Hag’s side, with the aim of picking up from where they left off when the season paused.
Victory over Crystal Palace lifted the Reds off the foot of the Premier League table before the break. United, meanwhile, are in fifth place. The trip will be a return to familiar territory for Jesse Lingard, who signed for Forest as a free agent in the summer after leaving Old Trafford.
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