'It could cause disharmony in the team' - Agbonlahor on Cristiano Ronaldo's link-up with Manchester United team-mate

Former Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor claims Cristiano Ronaldo's link-up with Bruno Fernandes could cause disharmony in the Manchester United team. The Portuguese duo share a good understanding on the pitch and Manchester United fans have pinned their hopes on the pair to deliver the goods this season.

However, Agbonlahor is of the opinion that the eagerness of Fernandes and Cristiano Ronaldo to combine with each other consistently will be detrimental to Manchester United. The Englishman also stated that Cristiano Ronaldo may not have the kind of impact everyone wants him to have at Old Trafford this season.

Speaking to Football Insider (via The Express), Agbonlahor opined:

“Ronaldo is not going to have the impact everyone probably thought he was going to. I don’t see Man United winning everything with Ronaldo, especially not the Premier League or the Champions League."

Agbonlahor was also critical of Cristiano Ronaldo's performance in the defeat to Leicester City last weekend. He went on to claim that the Portuguese forward, showing his frustration on the pitch, will also leave a bad impression on youngsters like Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood.

“He was probably the worst player on the pitch against Leicester, he didn’t run, he didn’t press and didn’t have any impact on the game.

“He was throwing his arms up in the air and that can have a bad take on the other players.

“Rashford and Greenwood are probably thinking ‘Now is my time, it’s our time to be the main men in the team’.

“Every time Fernandes gets the ball, he looks for Ronaldo. I think he’s going to cause disharmony in the team, in the squad.

“Sometimes bringing players back to a team doesn’t work and I think this is one of those times.”

Despite the bold claims from Agbonlahor, both Cristiano Ronaldo and Fernandes remain integral to Manchester United's plans. After eight games following his return to Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo has netted six goals in eight games across competitions. Meanwhile, Fernandes has notched up four goals and six assists in 12 games so far.

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Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United could miss out on Fernandes' service against Liverpool

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has confirmed that Fernandes' involvement for Manchester United remains a doubt against Liverpool on Sunday. The midfielder is believed to have sustained a knock in the 3-2 win over Atalanta in midweek and may not be deemed fit to feature against Jurgen Klopp's men.

Manchester United fans will certainly be hoping that Cristiano Ronaldo can come good against Liverpool in the absence of their orchestrator-in-chief Fernandes. It remains to be seen whether the Red Devils have enough in their tank to come away with maximum points.