Cristiano Ronaldo dropped: Jamie Carragher has his say on Erik ten Hag dropping Manchester United superstar for Chelsea clash

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has praised Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag for deciding to suspend Cristiano Ronaldo for their match against Chelsea.

Ronaldo walked down the tunnel and reportedly left the stadium altogether before full-time in United's midweek Premier League encounter against Tottenham Hotspur. Some reports even claimed that he refused to come on as a late substitute in a match that the Red Devils dominated and won 2-0.

His actions have attracted sanctions from the club and he has now been removed from the Manchester United squad that will face Chelsea. The Premier League fixture will take place at Stamford Bridge on Saturday (October 22).

Carragher backed Ten Hag's stance on the former Real Madrid forward, claiming the Dutch tactician has dealt with Ronaldo 'perfectly'.

"After a difficult start ETH [Ten Hag] has really stamped his authority on #MUFC on & off the pitch. Their performance against Spurs was one of the best of recent years & he has dealt with the Ronaldo situation perfectly since day one," Carragher posted on Twitter.

It was widely reported that Cristiano Ronaldo wanted to leave United this summer but failed to find potential suitors. European giants such as Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Atletico Madrid publicly turned down the opportunity to sign him.

This meant he had to stay with the Red Devils at least until January 2023. It's worth noting that his contract at Old Trafford runs out next summer.

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Manchester United suspend Cristiano Ronaldo for upcoming Premier League clash against Chelsea

Manchester United released a statement on Thursday announcing that Ronaldo will not be part of the traveling squad to face Chelsea.

"Cristiano Ronaldo will not be part of the Manchester United squad for this Saturday’s Premier League game against Chelsea. The rest of the squad is fully focused on preparing for that fixture," United's statement read.

Ronaldo has so far started just two Premier League matches this season and the Red Devils have failed to win them both. In all, he has scored two goals in 12 appearances across competitions this campaign.

The Portuguese has lacked the intensity required to meet Ten Hag's demands. The Dutchman has preferred the likes of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial over Ronaldo. His choices have also been largely validated, with the team picking up league wins over Arsenal, Liverpool and, most recently, Tottenham Hotspur.

It remains to be seen whether Cristiano Ronaldo will be able to find a club in January. As per The Telegraph, Manchester United are okay with the veteran forward departing the club in the winter transfer window.