Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has responded to Benni McCarthy saying the Dutchman wasted the opportunity to use Cristiano Ronaldo correctly at Old Trafford.
In an interview with ZEROZERO this week, McCarthy, who bid farewell to United upon the expiry of his contract earlier this year, suggested Ten Hag failed in his management of the five-time Ballon d'Or winner.
Ronaldo's second spell at Old Trafford concluded following a public fallout between himself and the 54-year-old, whom he accused of disrespecting him in an on-air conversation with British broadcaster Piers Morgan.
The experienced forward was criticised for his actions at the time, particularly after United went on to finish third in the Premier League in the 2022/23 campaign and win the Carabao Cup.
"I think Manchester United wasted a great opportunity to use Cristiano in the right way," McCarthy said.
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"But I was not the head coach and I could not be the one to make those decisions."
Ten Hag, meanwhile, has appeared to defend his decisions in an interview with Sky Sports, insisting the team required a transition with younger players coming in, hinting that Ronaldo's age had become an issue.
"For a long period, we are in transition at Manchester United. From the moment I came in, we knew we had to change. We had to replace some older players," he stated.
"Our choice was to bring young players in and that takes time to get the messages on board, to get a game model on board and to introduce a new culture. That takes time.
"In the meantime, you have to win and I think we have proven in the last two years that we win. I've proven in my career that always I will win. The last six years I have eight trophies."
United will take on Aston Villa in the Premier League away from home on the weekend, in what is a must-win game for the side.
