"Cristiano, with Messi, they have made the story of football" – Antonio Conte reveals 'great respect' for Ronaldo ahead of Manchester United clash

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte heaped praise on Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of his team's away clash against Manchester United in the Premier League on Wednesday (October 19).

Ronaldo, 37, has opened the ongoing 2022-23 season on a mixed note following a pre-season of uncertainty. Under new Red Devils manager Erik ten Hag, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner has started just two Premier League matches, scoring just one goal in the process.

However, the veteran striker is set to start against Tottenham Hotspur due to the ongoing fitness issues of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial. He even scored a sensational hat-trick against the north London outfit in last season's 3-2 win at Old Trafford in March. Overall, he has netted 14 goals in 20 career appearances against Spurs.

Speaking at a pre-match press conference, Conte expressed his admiration for Ronaldo. He told reporters (via Manchester Evening News):

"Last season, he scored a hat-trick against us and fingers crossed [it won't happen again]. We are talking about an amazing player, a top player. We are talking about a player that has continued to make the difference for the team that he is playing for."

Conte lauded the Portuguese, claiming him and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star Lionel Messi to be the trend-setters in the sport. He added:

"Cristiano, with Messi, they have made the story of football in the last ten, 15 years. I have great respect for Cristiano for his professionalism."

So far, he has scored two goals and contributed one assist in 12 appearances across all competitions for Manchester United this campaign.

Cristiano Ronaldo tipped to start in Manchester United-Tottenham Hotspur clash

In his column for Sportskeeda, former England forward Paul Merson claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo will start at Old Trafford on Wednesday (October 19). He also predicted a 1-1 draw. He wrote:

"I think Cristiano Ronaldo will play this game. I only say that because I know that Tottenham will play everybody behind the ball. Manchester United will need to put balls into the box and he is the best header of the ball in the world."

He added:

"This is a must-win game for United, and I don't think that is the case for Tottenham. Antonio Conte will want to make sure his team doesn't lose this match, and he'll be the happier of the two managers with a draw."

Manchester United are currently fifth in the 2022-23 Premier League standings with 16 points from nine games. On the other hand, Spurs are third on goal difference with 23 points from 10 matches.