Yes, United have wide-ranging problems but free-scoring Ronaldo isn’t one of them

RALF RANGNICK’S only priority at Manchester United now is to win football matches – any way he can – and qualify for the Champions League next season.

Forget about identity, forget about who might be coming in as permanent manager in the summer when Rangnick moves ‘upstairs’ in a consultancy role.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was accused of building a team with no identity after three years and spending £400million, so Rangnick can’t be expected to install one after five minutes.

I don’t think United are going to win the Champions League this season, so realistically the FA Cup is the only trophy they can win in 2022. That means Rangnick MUST throw all his resources at a top-four finish.

In the week it was revealed that Ed Woodward will step down as executive vicechairman, with Richard Arnold taking over as CEO, there has been harsh criticism of Woodward’s tenure despite his commercial success.

But United are judged by results on the pitch – and the evidence of their 1-0 home defeat by Wolves generated too much cause for concern.

Where Antonio Conte (right) has gone into Tottenham and made an immediate difference, lifting the team’s combined running capacity from 100km to 114km per 90 minutes, so far Rangnick’s philosophy is less clear.

His recent 4-2-2-2 shape isn’t working because it does not give United enough control in midfield. It doesn’t accommodate Bruno Fernandes as a No.10 and the partnership of Cristiano Ronaldo and Edinson Cavani (above, second left) up front didn’t enjoy enough service.

Once again, I am hearing that Ronaldo is the problem at Old Trafford because United are struggling to fit him into the side.

Really? If CR7 is the problem, I would love to know the question.

Compare his output – 14 goals (eight in the Premier League, six in the Champions League) for United in 21 appearances this season – with other No.9 strikers and tell me he’s the issue.

Harry Kane (four Premier League goals, 11 in all club football), Raul Jimenez (three), Diogo Jota (10 in Prem, 12 in all), Romelu Lukaku (five in Prem, seven in all), Michail Antonio (eight in Prem, nine in all), PierreEmerick Aubameyang (four in Prem, seven in all) have not left Ronaldo behind.

Only Mo Salah (above, third right), currently the best player in the world, with 17 Premier League goals (23 in all) and in the form of his life, is outscoring the Portugal superstar.

And Lionel Messi (above, far right), playing in a less competitive environment in France, has managed only one league goal for Paris Saint-Germain (plus five in the Champions League).

So Ronaldo is not doing badly for a guy who turns 37 next month.

He is still first one in the training ground at Carrington every morning and the last to leave, setting a fantastic example to

United’s young players, who are inspired by his professionalism. I would suggest United’s biggest headaches are at the other end of the pitch, where keeper David De Gea has too often been their best player.

Here’s a telling stat: Between them Norwich, Newcastle and Burnley

– the

Prem’s bottom three – have scored only 43 goals in 55 games, but they have managed 42 shots against United.

Rangnick is not going to solve the club’s issues of system, shape and identity overnight. But a top-four finish is imperative – and right now, it’s far from clear how he is going to deliver that.

THOMAS TUCHEL moved swiftly to discipline Romelu Lukaku after his ill-judged interview ruffled feathers at Chelsea.

And after Lukaku’s public apology, it appears peace has broken out again between manager Tuchel and his £97.5million striker. If a record signing’s grievances, and his employer’s dislike for

I’M not the only one to say this – I know a lot of Arsenal fans share my opinion – but VAR is doing my head in.

Yes, it was introduced to eradicate clear and obvious errors, so there would be no ‘Hand of God’ howlers in the Premier League. But surely, above all else, we want the RIGHT decisions and we want VAR applied in a transparent and consistent manner? In Manchester City’s win at Arsenal last weekend, Ederson’s challenge on Martin Odegaard – unpunished by referee Stuart Atwell – was not overturned by VAR intervention.

But Gunners star Granit Xhaka’s challenge on Bernardo Silva – also not initially penalised by Atwell – did result in a spot-kick for the champions.

Many decisions in football are subjective, others are more blackand-white. But where is the consistency?

AFTER our capture of former Sheffield United midfielder Mark Duffy – for a lot less money than other clubs were offering him – we have added more quality at Macclesfield.

Along with Neil Danns and Alex Bruce, who both played in the Premier League, Duffy (who was in Holland’s Eredivisie with Den Haag two years ago) will improve arguably the best squad ever assembled in the North West Counties League.

We still get rival fans saying that money doesn’t buy everything.

True, but I have yet to hear a single one of them complain about their team playing in front of 3,500 fans when they visit us.

Or complain about the standards on the pitch being driven up by opponents who raise their game against Macclesfield.

the way they were aired, have all been nipped in the bud, everyone can move on.

But when Chelsea had retrieved their two-goal deficit against Liverpool, and he needed a nuclear option to throw on for 20 minutes to win the game, I wonder if Tuchel was privately wishing Lukaku had been on the bench instead of being dropped from the squad altogether?