Cristiano Ronaldo could make his comeback debut in Manchester United this weekend against Newcastle. Before that, MU must first settle 4 crucial matters.
This summer Ronaldo left Juventus and returned to MU, the club he had played for in the 2003-2009 period. After 12 years have passed, Man United fans can again watch Ronaldo compete in the red shirt of the team’s pride. The duel against Newcastle at Old Trafford, Saturday (11/9/2021) is believed to fulfill the comeback moment and become Ronaldo’s debut with the Red Devils.
However, there are a number of matters that need to be completed by Man United. The Manchester Evening News media said there were at least 4 issues that must be answered immediately ahead of the duel against Newcastle.
1. Will Ronaldo immediately start?
It will be interesting to see if Ronaldo will be immediately featured as a starter by coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Until Monday (6/9/2021), Ronaldo had not gone down to train with the MU squad, even though he had been in Manchester City since Thursday (2/9/2021). The Manchester Evening News wrote that Solskjaer could have preferred Edinson Cavani or Mason Greenwood and for this weekend.
“His talent and fitness are unquestionable but Solskjaer is a fan of emotional moments and may prefer to give Ronaldo the joy of getting a standing ovation when he comes off the bench,” wrote the Manchester Evening News.
2. The formation of team
Solskjaer must find a tactical solution to anticipate the potential absence of Scott McTominay who has just undergone minor surgery. McTominay missed the third week against Wolves with a thigh problem. He also did not travel for Scotland this international break for similar reasons.
The anchor midfielder has trained on Monday (6/9/2021). However, it is not certain whether McTominay can enter the team versus Newcastle. Given that possibility, Solskjaer must decide whether it is wise to stick with the 4-2-3-1 scheme minus Tominay or try out a new alternative.
3. Combination of midfield
When a narrow 1-0 win over Wolves in the third week, Fred looked exhausted struggling as the only defensive midfielder for Man United. Paul Pogba, who was partnered with Fred at that time, was given the freedom to go up and attack. According to the Manchester Evening News, for the duel against Newcastle, there is an option for Fred to be paired with either Nemanja Matic or Donny van de Beek.
4. Ronaldo’s playing position
Another thing that Solskajer must immediately decide is the question of Ronaldo’s playing position. Some time ago the coach called the current version of Ronaldo a type of penalty box bomber. However, after the duel against Wolves, Solskjaer also said that Ronaldo could help a lot in other posts on the attack line.
If Solskjaer projects Ronaldo as a centre-forward, it is likely he will come on, or vice versa, be replaced by Edinson Cavani in this weekend’s match against Newcastle. For the center forward post, Solskjaer now has three alternatives, namely Ronaldo, Cavani and Mason Greenwood.
