If Erik ten Hag wanted to know just how tough life can be as manager of Manchester United then this week might well be the crash course he needed to prepare himself for some testing times ahead.
United have only been back in pre-season training for a week-and-a-half, but already the new manager has had a lot on his plate and a to-do list further complicated by Cristiano Ronaldo’s desire to leave.
Ten Hag has already spoken on record about his eagerness to work with the Portuguese. The issue is that Ronaldo doesn’t want to waste another season at a club where just qualifying for the Champions League looks uncertain.
