Ralf Rangnick has revealed he picked Edinson Cavani ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo in the Manchester United side against Burnley as he felt the Uruguayan was better suited to the demands of facing the Clarets.
Ronaldo has been dropped from the United side after playing 120 minutes in the FA Cup fourth-round clash with Middlesbrough on Friday night, but Rangnick said the decision was tactical rather than being a rest.
The 37-year-old scored against Burnley when United won 3-1 at Turf Moor last month, but Rangnick has watched games at Turf Moor and expects a physical battle tonight, which is why Cavani has got the nod in attack.
"We’ve played Burnley a couple of weeks ago and seen quite a few games here at Turf Moor, we knew in the early stages it will require a lot of running, chasing balls, a lot of fighting for second balls, so I decided to start with Edi because this kind of profile suits him," Rangnick told MUTV.
The absence of Ronaldo is one of two changes to the side made by Rangnick, with David de Gea coming in for Dean Henderson as well. Jesse Lingard returns to the bench having been unavailable for the penalty shootout defeat to Middlesbrough on Friday.
United missed a hatful of chances against the Championship side and Rangnick knows his side need to be more clinical tonight against a side famed for its obduracy in defence.
"Will we get that many chances? I wouldn't be surprised if we don’t get many even if it’s only half we have to be more clinical, the way the tram translated the game plan onto the pitch was almost perfect but we have to be clinical and finish those chances off," he said.
Conditions are wet at Turf Moor, with the rain continuing to pour down and Rangnick has urged his seat to show they're up for the battle.
"I’m not surprised, the weather has been like this quite often [since I arrived]. The conditions are as they are, for both teams it's equally the same, we have to be prepared for a real battle and a fight," he said.
