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‘Time is catching up with us all’: Wayne Rooney insists Cristiano Ronaldo must be patient for playing time at Manchester United… as he admits the Portuguese star ‘clearly isn’t the player he was’
- Wayne Rooney urged Cristiano Ronaldo to remain patient at Manchester United
- The Portuguese hit man, 37, has struggled for game time so far this campaign
- He has played on the bench in the Red Devils’ last five Premier League games
- Ronaldo has to accept that he is ‘not the player he was’, his former team-mate declared
- Manchester United prepare to take on Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday night
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Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has urged Red Devils outcast Cristiano Ronaldo to remain patient for opportunities at the club.
The 37-year-old has struggled for consistent playing time since Erik ten Hag’s arrival at Old Trafford, having expressed a desire to leave this summer.
Despite sitting on the bench during Manchester United’s four-game winning run against Liverpool, Southampton, Leicester and Arsenal, Ronaldo has had sporadic opportunities to impress in the Europa League.
Wayne Rooney urged Cristiano Ronaldo to remain patient for Man United game time
The Portuguese star has been on Erik ten Hag’s bench more often this season
The ex-Real Madrid superstar started Thursday in United’s shaky 3-2 win against Omonia, but again failed to make the scoresheet.
Rooney, who played with Ronaldo at United between 2004 and 2009, admitted his former team-mate will struggle with his lack of minutes.
“The manager has clearly taken a different path in terms of how they play and has been successful,” the DC United manager told reporters on Friday.
“Cristiano… he and (Lionel) Messi are two of the best players to have ever played the game, but eventually time catches up with us all.
Rooney, 36, insisted his former teammate ‘is no longer the player he used to be’ at 22 or 23
“Obviously he’s not the player he was when he was 22 or 23, for example. It’s a hard one for him.
“To know him, it will be very difficult for him to sit on the bench… I’m sure if he remains patient, his chance will come and, again, it is clear then that he takes those risks and his trying to force away back in.’
The Red Devils are sixth in the league with 12 points ahead of Sunday’s clash with Everton at Goodison Park.