Cristiano Ronaldo believes that nothing less than a top three finish is acceptable for Manchester United this season.The legendary Portuguese forward, who turns 37 in February, has given an open and honest interview to Sky Sports about the Red Devils’ current struggles.Man Utd find themselves seventh in the Premier League table, six points behind fourth-placed West Ham with two games in hand over the Hammers.Ralf Rangnick replaced Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as the team’s head coach in November but the respected German coach has so far failed to inspire an improvement in performance levels.United suffered a 1-0 home defeat to Wolves in their previous league fixture on January 3 and were extremely fortunate to beat Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa 1-0 in the FA Cup third round on Monday evening.
Ronaldo: Nothing less than third acceptable for Man Utd
Speaking ahead of Man Utd’s league fixture against Gerrard’s side this weekend, Ronaldo says that the club should be competing for a top three finish at the absolute minimum.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, who returned to Old Trafford after 12 years away from Manchester last summer, also says that he knows how United can improve but feels it isn’t his place to elaborate in public.
Make of that what you will.
"Manchester United should win the league or be second or third,” he told Sky Sports. “I don't see other positions for Manchester United to be honest, I don't see. In my eyes, I don't accept that our mentality be less than to be in the top three in the Premier League.
"We are capable to change things now. I don't know the specific way I'm a player, not the coach, the president, I know the way but I'm not going to mention it here because I think it's not ethic [sic] from my part to say that.
"What I can say and something I can say we are in control, we can do it better, all of us. Manchester belongs in important things, we have to change that.
"I don't want to be here in a club to fight to be in sixth or seventh or fifth place, I'm here to try to win, to compete. I think we compete but we are not yet at our best level. Long way to improve and I believe if we change our mind, we can achieve big things."
Watch Ronaldo's interview here:
If only more of Ronaldo’s teammates had the same mentality, Man Utd might not find themselves in their current predicament.
Man Utd fans praise Ronaldo's mentality
Some United fans on social media have praised Ronaldo, whose latest interview has gone viral:
Cristiano Ronaldo's thoughts on Ralf Rangnick
Ronaldo insists that he does have confidence in Rangnick’s ability to turn things around, but says the 63-year-old coach will need time to implement his ideas.
However, the German is poised to move into a consultancy role at the end of the season as United look to appoint a new permanent head coach.
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