Manchester (Reuters)
Former Manchester United coach Alex Ferguson said that Cristiano Ronaldo should have started the 1-1 draw at home to Everton instead of coming on as a substitute in the second half.
Coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer pushed Ronaldo after an hour of the match and United were leading 1-0, but Everton equalized in the 65th minute and held together to take a point.
In a video clip spread on social media, Ferguson told mixed martial arts legend Habib Nurmagomedov that Everton had a morale boost “when he knew Ronaldo was not going to play.”
And when Nurmagomedov told Ferguson that Ronaldo was substituted in the second half, the Scottish coaching legend added: “I know, of course, but you always have to start the game with the best players.”
Ronaldo said Ferguson, who signed the 18-year-old from Sporting Lisbon in 2003, played a major role in his return to Old Trafford.
United, who have 14 points from seven league games, will meet Leicester City on October 16 in the next round of matches after the international break.
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