Manchester United head into a critical weekend clash at Old Trafford against West Ham United with a top-four six-pointer on the cards in the northwest of England, but the Red Devils may be without their most prized asset for the showdown with the Hammers.
As reported by the club’s official website after interim manager Ralf Rangnick gave his pre-match press conference, star United forward Cristiano Ronaldo is a question mark in the run-up to the key clash with Champions League football at stake.
? Ralf has issued a fresh update regarding @Cristiano's availability ahead of #MUNWHU…#MUFC | #PL
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) January 21, 2022
“Cristiano is a question mark because he has a problem with his neck” Rangnick stated during an interview with MUTV while giving further clarification regarding the pathway to the weekend; “He received treatment yesterday for two, three hours and we will have to wait to see how he feels today.”
Should the Portuguese football icon be unavailable for selection in the matchday XI, Rangnick may well turn to Marcus Rashford to lead the line in Ronaldo’s stead after the England international came off the bench and scored in the Red Devil’s 3-1 win over Brentford on Wednesday, which also leaves a pathway for Swedish youngster Anthony Elanga to keep his place on the left flank once again.
Manchester United in touching distance of Champions League place
A credible result against Brentford in midweek may have shown that Manchester United is still not performing at their best across a full 90-minutes, but they are still capable of getting results as they are now within just two points of Saturday’s opponent in David Moyes’ West Ham.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 05: Ralf Rangnick the interim / caretaker manager / head coach of Manchester United and Diogo Dalot of Manchester United at full time during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Crystal Palace at Old Trafford on December 5, 2021 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
Much of their chance of climbing into the critical final Champions League place rests on how bitter north London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham get on against Burnley and Chelsea respectively, but the most important factor is if United can stand against the considerable test the Hammers can bring to bear both home and away.
And with just one loss in their last six Premier League matches, the Red Devils are but a few more results away from putting themselves into a position where they must – once again – be viewed as serious contenders for top four come the end of the 2021-22 league campaign.
