Cristiano Ronaldo returns to Man Utd training as Ralf Rangnick gets double boost | Football | Sport
Manchester United have been boosted by the return of Cristiano Ronaldo to the club’s training ground. Ronaldo missed Sunday’s 4-1 defeat against Manchester City at the Etihad. Interim boss Ralf Rangnick claimed the Portugal superstar had reported pain in his hip flexor.
Cavani, who has not featured since February 8, missed the weekend’s match due to illness.
Sunday wasn’t the first occasion Ronaldo has missed a match due to a hip flexor problem this season.
Former United captain Roy Keane raised doubts about the injury, claiming there may be more than meets the eye.
Keane said on Sky Sports: “I think the surprise there is with Ronaldo. I’m never sure when they come up and say it’s a hip flexor.”
When asked if he felt there was more to it, Keane added: “There seems to be. I just don’t like it when a manager talks about this hip flexor. I don’t get it.
“We talk about Ronaldo being almost some short of machine, is very rarely injured, but every now and again he comes out with that. Hip flexor, it doesn’t add up to me.”
But Rangnick doubled down on the reason for Ronaldo’s absence in his post-match press conference.
“I have to believe our medical department,” the German said.
“Our doctor came to me on Friday morning to say Cristiano couldn’t train because of some problems with his hip flexor and the same on Saturday.”
United head into the match against Tottenham in desperate need of a victory in their push to finish in the Premier League top four.
Rangnick’s side sit fifth in the table, a point behind Arsenal but the Gunners have three games in hand.
Beating Tottenham would also put a dent in a fellow rivals’ hopes but Spurs head into the game off the back of nine goals in their last two league matches against Leeds and Everton.
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