RALF v RON... NO PLAYER IS BIGGER THAN UNITED

Rangnick tells Ronaldo that strops won’t ever stop him putting the team’s needs first

RALF RANGNICK has warned Cristiano Ronaldo no individual is bigger than Manchester United after the forward’s strop at being subbed.

Ronaldo made clear his dismay at being taken off in the 71st minute of United’s 3-1 win at Brentford on Wednesday (right), openly questioning the German’s decision to withdraw him so early.

Rangnick’s decision was justified with Ronaldo’s replacement, Marcus Rashford, scoring United’s third goal,

And the interim boss warned: “The team is more important than no matter who it is – Cristiano, Edinson Cavani, Bruno Fernandes or any other player.

“Bruno has also been substituted and was not happy with that in the last couple of weeks.

“It’s about what is in the best interests of the team.

“I explained that to Cristiano even during the game, when we had that little conversation after the third goal. The job of a football manager is to help teams win games and, for me, it was clear after the experience we had at Villa Park that this time we had to do things better.

“The only question was who we would take off. Cristiano is a prolific goalscorer and a player who always wants to play and score goals.

“He was also asking, ‘Why me and not one of the younger players?’

“The answer came five minutes later, when one of the younger players scored the third goal.

“Maybe Cristiano could also have scored that goal but football is not always ‘maybe’ it’s about getting a decision at the right moment.

“A player like Cristiano doesn’t like to be substituted, that is pretty normal. His reaction was emotional but for me not a problem at all.

“It’s about the team and getting points. We’re in a position where every single game is of maximum importance.” Rangnick’s decision to replace Ronaldo, with United leading 2-0, was taken to see out the game after United had blown a 2-0 lead at Aston Villa five days earlier to draw 2-2 at Villa Park.

The United boss said he did not view Ronaldo’s public show of dissent as undermining him, and understood his desire to stay on the pitch.

“I didn’t at all see or interpret it as he was challenging me,” said Rangnick, whose side host top-four rivals West Ham today.

“He just showed, maybe too emotionally, that he was not happy to be replaced.

“It’s got nothing to do with the manager at the time, it’s about his own ambition and his own desire to stay on the pitch. I don’t blame him for that, but obviously any manager I think would wish it shouldn’t be too emotional and also in front of the TV cameras.

“I don’t think this is for the benefit of anyone, not to his benefit, not to the benefit of the team-mates, but in the end it’s an emotional game and I didn’t take it personally at all.”