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Erik ten Hag responds to claims Cristiano Ronaldo exit improved Man United.
Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag declined to say whether Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure from the team in November made things better on and off the field.
After an ugly interview with Piers Morgan on TalkTV during which he criticized the club and showed disrespect for Ten Hag, a 37-year-old Ronaldo who could no longer hold down a regular starting position left Old Trafford under a cloud.
Following the World Cup break, United went on to win seven games in a row across all competitions, claimed the Carabao Cup, finished in the top three for just the fourth time since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, and will also play in the FA Cup final early next month.
Things seemed to calm down for United and Ten Hag after the Ronaldo problem threatened to become a distraction to a breaking point.
“If you’re observing that, it’s up to you,” Ten Hag told The Times when asked the question.
“So, what I want to see from my team is a team who are proactive, dynamic, determined. I’ve seen many times Manchester United with that attitude, so that’s what I like. It’s not that we are satisfied. There’s still a long way to go but we’re definitely showing this mentality.”