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Manchester United: Ralf Rangnick reacts to Cristiano Ronaldo walking off the pitch after Burnley draw

Ronaldo walked straight down the tunnel at Turf Moor after 1-1 draw with Burnley

Mark Critchley
Northern Football Correspondent
Saturday 12 February 2022 03:00 GMT
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Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick and Cristiano Ronaldo
Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick and Cristiano Ronaldo (Getty Images)

Ralf Rangnick believes that Manchester United should focus on "things we can influence" rather than Cristiano Ronaldo's habit of immediately walking off the pitch after a disappointing result.

Ronaldo headed straight down the tunnel at Turf Moor on Wednesday night after the final whistle sounded on United's disappointing 1-1 draw with bottom-of-the-table Burnley.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner had been left out of the starting line-up by Rangnick and failed to find a winning goal after being introduced as a second-half substitute.

It was not the first time that Ronaldo has walked straight off the pitch this season and chosen not to acknowledge United's supporters after an underwhelming result.

Gary Neville, a former team-mate of Ronaldo's at United, said that the Portuguese's habit 'put pressure' on Rangnick's predecessor Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with his body language after a draw with Everton in October.

Rangnick agreed that Ronaldo is expected to acknowledge the United support, though stopped short of criticising him and called for the perspective to shift towards things within United's control.

"Cristiano as we all know is 37," Rangnick said. "I think he knows himself what he should do or should not do and what he has to do.

"Our focus is on those things we can influence and develop. Why he didn't do, why he left the pitch directly after the final whistle, maybe he was also disappointed that we only got a draw and that he didn't score.

"Again, this is not any kind of energy we should waste at the wrong end. We put our full focus on those things we can influence."

Rangnick added: "It's a question you have to ask to Cristiano. I only realised that after the game. This is not a question I can answer."

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