Cristiano Ronaldo has correctly claimed that finishing outside the top three in the Premier League would be unacceptable for Manchester United.
Although our players haven’t always admitted it, amid a number of disappointing campaigns post-Ferguson, United have settled for mediocrity in recent years.
Ronaldo must have been unaware of how much the expectations dropped at Old Trafford following Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement because he says he returned to the club to win.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has called for a change of mindset within the dressing room to ensure United turn things around.
Ronaldo also backed interim manager Ralf Rangnick to lift the club but he admits it will take time for his methods to take hold on the team.
He told Sky Sports, as quoted by RTÉ: “Manchester United should win the league or be second or third. I don’t see any other position for Manchester United.
“In my heart, I don’t accept that our mentality be less than being in the top three in the Premier League, in my opinion.
“I think to build up good things sometimes you have to destroy a few things. New year, new life, I hope that Manchester can be at the level people want, especially the fans. We are capable of changing things now.
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“We can do it better, all of us. I don’t want to be here in the club to fight to be in sixth or seventh place. I am here to try to win, to compete. I believe if we change our mind we can achieve big things.”
🗣 "It's not that easy to change the mentality of the players, the way they play the system and the culture."
Cristiano Ronaldo backs manager Ralf Rangnick as he feels he has improved things at Manchester United but calls for patience pic.twitter.com/h1ugNQATGP
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) January 13, 2022
Does anyone disagree with a word Ronaldo said?
I highly doubt it because the objective this season was to challenge for the title. But it’s January and United find themselves 22 points behind rivals and league leaders Man City.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer paid the price for bad results earlier in the campaign, with Rangnick replacing him until the end of the season.
So far United have taken 13 points from a possible 18 under the German.
Ronaldo added: “He [Rangnick] arrived here five weeks ago. He changed many things but he needs time to put his ideas through the players and on the pitch.
“It takes time but I believe that he is going to do a good job. We know we don’t play the best football, as we should do, but we have many games to improve. Since he arrived I think in some points we are better, but he needs time.”
