"His desire to win is exceptional" - Tony Cascarino unsurprised by Cristiano Ronaldo's reaction to being substituted by Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick 

Former Premier League striker Tony Cascarino feels Cristiano Ronaldo's angry reaction to being substituted in a recent game was fully justified.

The Manchester United ace was hooked off during the second half of their match against Brentford last weekend by interim boss Ralf Rangnick.

It left him furious as Ronaldo threw a childish tantrum on the sidelines, throwing his coat on the ground and sulking on a step.

Rangnick later said it was a tactical move, keeping the collective interest in mind, while the talisman's reaction drew criticism from some quarters.

However, Cascarino feels his fury was triggered by his unquenched desire to win and score goals.

Speaking to talkSPORT Breakfast, the 59-year-old said:

"I don't why people are susprised by the way Ronaldo acts. It's been his drive all his career.

"He's become the player has because of his brilliance. For me, his desire to win is exceptional and I think people should listen to him.

The Portuguese hadn't netted in two league games coming into West London and was kept at arm's length by the Bees for 71 minutes too before getting subbed.

He probably wanted to keep trying to find the target for the remainder of the match too but was robbed off that time due to the substitution.

It's indeed a reflection of his insane hunger, but it's also important to realize Rangnick's position, with the German merely trying to shut the door on the match.

---

Ronaldo's barren run is now becoming a cause of concern

For any player who's going on 37, it's normal to go three games without a goal or more, but Ronaldo isn't any other player.

The Portuguese talisman was brought back to fire Manchester United to its glory days, and while he was doing well early on, his form has gone off the boil lately.

Four games into 2022, the former Real Madrid ace is yet to score, keeping his tally for the season to 14 in all competitions.

While it's still the highest in the squad, with his eight-goal return in the Premier League also the most by a United player, Ronaldo's recent struggles will concern the side.

They continue to drop points in the league, which is hurting their top-four chances, and having their prolific No.7 go through the motions in front of goal isn't particularly helping their cause either.