It was a disaster season for Manchester United, but Cristiano Ronaldo has saved some face for the club by being named in the PFA Team of the Year.
Named at the striker position, he was the only United player in the squad. Fierce rivals Liverpool (6) and Manchester City (3) made up the majority of the team with outgoing Chelsea center back Antonio Rudiger the other player named in the team.
LIKE HE NEVER LEFT
The 37-year-old was the one bright spot in United’s season. The striker scored 18 goals and laid on three assists. His eighteen strikes placed him third in the race for the Golden Boot.
He started the season like the Ronaldo of old. On his re-debut at Old Trafford, he scored two goals as United defeated Newcastle 4-1. He followed that up the next week by scoring the equalizer in what would be a 2-1 victory for the Red Devils. The goals dried up after that and the Portuguese legend only managed 6 goals in his next 20 league fixtures. One of the driest patches of his career.
However, he again found his range after missing the Manchester derby. First, there was a hat trick against Tottenham, then he scored a treble against Norwich City. He only failed to score in one match he appeared in after that.
Easily, Cristiano Ronaldo was the most lethal striker for Manchester United this season.
It wasn’t just his performances in the Premier League that were impressive. Ronaldo made a mockery of the Champions League yet again.
He dominated the UCL by scoring in every group stage match he was available for. That kept him atop the all-time leading Champions League goal scorers list with 141 strikes in the competition.
MR. CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Such is CR7s affinity for the Champions League, it led to speculation he might leave United. The speculation ramped up after the Red Devils failed to qualify for the competition for next season.
Cristiano took to the United in-house media team to reaffirm his love for the club and supporters and assure the fans he was going nowhere.
“I was happy, of course, to be back in a club that really raised my career, so it was unbelievable, the feeling when I came back again. It was nice to feel the supporters – the happiness of them was great.”
“For me, the most important thing is to try to win the games and try to win some championship or some cup. As I say before, sometimes it takes time, but I still believe.”
There will be a new manager in the dugout at the Theater of Dreams next season. That man is Erik ten Hag. The Dutchman recently told the media he is looking forward to working alongside the living legend.
“He is a giant that is still very ambitious. Of course, I want to keep him at Manchester United.
“I look forward to working with Ronaldo. Ronaldo is a giant, because of everything he has shown so far and because of how ambitious he is.” “I want to keep him at Manchester United, of course. He has been very important for this club and can produce great stats.”
Statements like this from the man himself and the new manager of the club must be music to Manchester United fans’ ears.
If Cristiano Ronaldo can pocket another PFA award and Erik ten Hag can give some stability to the running of the club, a better season is almost a certainty.
Stuart Kavanagh is a sports journalist from Melbourne, Australia. Along with being the owner of the sports and entertainment website thepyrrhic.com, he is the co-host of the ‘After Extra Time’ podcast. Football mad, he is always down for debate and discussion at @stueyissickofit on Twitter.