Gabriel Agbonlahor has slammed Cristiano Ronaldo for ‘sulking’ throughout Manchester United’s disappointing 1-1 draw with Newcastle United and claims three players are intimidated by the Portugal legend.
Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo cut a frustrated figure as United were held to a 1-1 draw at St James’ Park on Monday night.
Second-half substitute Edinson Cavani cancelled out Allan Saint-Maximin’s superb opener but Ralf Rangnick’s side were unable to find a winner as they stayed seventh in the Premier League.
Former Aston Villa star Agbonlahor has criticised Ronaldo’s performance and says Rangnick would drop the club legend ‘if he had anything about him’.
Ronaldo has scored 13 goals in 18 appearances since returning to Old Trafford in the summer but Agbonlahor believes he is affecting the ‘harmony’ in the dressing room and inadvertently intimidating Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood and Jadon Sancho.
‘It looks to me like Ronaldo just cares about his goals,’ Agbonlahor told Football Insider. ‘That performance from Ronaldo was somebody sulking all game.
‘He was throwing his hands up in the air because he wasn’t getting chances. Then after the game, he runs off the pitch sulking and I imagine he’s sulking in the changing room.
‘His attitude was off. If I’m Rashford, Greenwood and Sancho I’m scared to have a shot. Every time they have a shot he’s got his arms up to say, “Why haven’t you passed to me?”
‘The harmony is not right in that changing room. The form of Rashford and Greenwood has dropped since Ronaldo has been there.
‘They can’t express themselves, it’s like they think, “I have to pass to Ronaldo, I have to create a chance for Ronaldo”.
‘Before Ronaldo came, Greenwood was taking players on and shots on and he’s not doing that anymore and getting dragged at half-time.
‘If I was Rashford, Greenwood or Sancho I’d be saying to myself, “Oh, why did we have to bring him here?”
‘He’s an amazing player who has had an amazing career but he’s not the same player he was. United played their best football of the season against Chelsea with Ronaldo on the bench.
‘Rashford, Greenwood and Sancho can play as a front three rotating positions and running in behind. If the manager had anything about him, he’d drop Ronaldo for the next game.’
Manchester United continue their Premier League campaign on Thursday night against relegation-battlers Burnley.
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