Jamie Carragher was unimpressed by the Cristiano Ronaldo interview (Pictures: Getty)
Jamie Carragher has told Cristiano Ronaldo that ‘99% of fans’ will be on the side of Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag after his bombshell interview with Piers Morgan.
In a sensational interview, Ronaldo said he felt ‘betrayed’ by United for not allowing him to leave and insisted he has ‘no respect’ for Ten Hag, who arrived at Old Trafford last summer.
The Portugal legend also took aim at Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney, aiming a dig at his appearance, and mocked former Red Devils caretaker manager Ralf Rangnick.
While Ronaldo and Ten Hag’s relationship was at breaking point last month after he refused to come on in a Premier League match and then stormed down the tunnel before the game finished, the pair appeared to put the incident to bed, with Ronaldo starting four games in a row.
But Ronaldo missed United’s final two games before the mid-season break for the World Cup through ‘illness’ and decided to take aim at his club and manager ahead of the January transfer window.
Reacting to the sensational interview, Liverpool legend Carragher – who has been one of Ronaldo’s biggest critics over the past 12 months – said: ‘Ronaldo: “I don’t respect the manager”.
‘Ronaldo under Erik Ten Hag: Announced he wanted to leave, refused to come on as a substitute, walked off the bench and left before the game had finished.
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‘99% of United fans will be on the side of ETH, which shows how badly Ronaldo has handled this.’
Asked by a fan if he was being dramatic with his ‘99%’ claim, Carragher added: ‘Only the Ronaldo cranks [will support him]. The 1% will be Rio [Ferdinand], Roy [Keane] and Patrice [Evra]…
Ferdinand, Keane and Evra have all stuck up for Ronaldo in recent weeks and played down the incident in which he left Old Trafford early.
Former United defender Ferdinand blamed Ten Hag for a lack of communication and claimed Ronaldo should be treated ‘differently’ due to his status as one of the best players in history.
‘There’s always another side to it,’ Ferdinand said on BT Sport last month. ‘When you’re dealing with Cristiano Ronaldo, he’s Ronaldo.
‘The way of treating him is different to everybody else. Communication. That’s probably the first time in his life where that’s not upheld by the manager.
‘I’m not saying he was right but there are special players sometimes in a squad that things work differently for.
‘It’s important for the team to see that he is communicated with. He’s 37. He probably needs that more than ever.’
Ronaldo took aim at Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag (Picture: Getty)
Ex-Manchester United captain Keane, meanwhile, added to Sky Sports: ‘I try to see it from the player’s point of view. He’s obviously had enough. He’s lost his head and I think it’s been brewing over the last few weeks with Ronaldo.
‘But I will still try and defend him. He’s a human being, he’s got flaws. He probably feels frustrated that he’s not been getting opportunities and he’s had enough.
‘He walked down the tunnel but I think other players have done a lot worse at Manchester United.’
Ronaldo largely impressed in his first season back at Manchester United, scoring 24 goals in 38 appearances last season despite the team’s struggles under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Rangnick.
Ronaldo has been less prolific in front of goal this season (Picture: Getty)
But the five-time Ballon d’Or winner barely featured at the start of this season with Ten Hag opting for the pace of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial instead.
In their final game before the mid-season break, Manchester United beat Fulham 2-1 at Craven Cottage thanks to Alejandro Garnacho’s injury-time winner. The Red Devils sit fifth in the Premier League, three points outside the top-four places.
Following United’s dramatic win, Ten Hag said: ‘It’s good and I think we came from far this season with the fans, with this team, with this club, the togetherness – now it’s back and we have to keep that.
‘We have to invest in both sides, the fans and the players together, to [build] a new United. We have to make a new history.’
MORE : Cristiano Ronaldo reveals what Fergie really thinks about Manchester United
MORE : How Erik ten Hag and Man Utd stars reacted to Cristiano Ronaldo interview
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Ronaldo decided to take aim at Man Utd and Erik ten Hag.
