POTTER: DON’T WRITE OFF GOAL-SHY RONALDO YET
BRIGHTON boss Graham Potter has no doubts over the enduring quality of Cristiano Ronaldo and is relishing the challenge of a meeting with ‘one of the best players of all time’ — despite the forward’s recent goal drought. Potter will reach 100 games in Premier League management tonight when in-form Albion take on Manchester United at Old Trafford. Ronaldo goes into the game having failed to score in six straight matches — his longest barren run in 12 years. Potter has never faced the 37-year-old but feels there can be too much focus on individuals. ‘You run out of superlatives in terms of what he’s achieved in his career and the player that he is,’ Potter said of Ronaldo. ‘He’s had an amazing career, world class, it’s out-of-this-world class. ‘Too often we zoom into individuals and forget it’s a team game. Sometimes when the team isn’t scoring, the person at the front of the pitch gets the zooming in, we’ve had it ourselves with Neal (Maupay), for example. ‘From what I’ve seen, you still see the quality he has and the quality he brings to the group. ‘I’ve never played against him, we’re looking forward to going there and pitting our wits against one of the best players of all time. ‘This is another test for us to see how our game has developed in as tough an away environment as you can get.’ Albion have gone seven league games without defeat and are in ninth place following Saturday’s 2-0 victory at Watford. United, meanwhile, have dropped nine points from six top-flight games and exited the FA Cup since Ronaldo last hit the net.