Fitter Ronaldo in good shape to contribute

MANCHESTER - Erik ten Hag said on Wednesday that he is focused on getting the best out of Cristiano Ronaldo after the veteran forward notched his 700th career goal against Everton in the English Premier League on Sunday.

Ronaldo, Manchester United's top scorer last season with 24 goals in all competitions, has been reduced to playing a bit-part role this campaign, starting four times and netting twice.

Ten Hag said the 37-year-old Portuguese, who missed pre-season and was linked with a move away, lacked sharpness early in the campaign but is now finding his feet.

"I want to support him as good as possible. We have certain demands from players," the Dutchman said ahead of Thursday's home game against Cypriot minnows Omonia Nicosia in the Europa League.

"I want to get the best out of him, he's in better shape now so he can contribute more to the squad and that is good for him. I'm happy with that.

"At the start, it was the case (lack of fitness), it's proven once again, no one can miss a pre-season."

The United manager is set to field a full-strength team against Omonia, who gave his side a major scare before going down 3-2 on Oct 6, as they target top spot in Group E. United are second and trail group leaders Real Sociedad by three points.

"We are going all out for the victory. It is Europe, it is tough... I told the players weeks ago, it was important to win the group. We want to win all the games, but it's clear, we want to avoid that (finishing second in group)," added ten Hag.

Forward Anthony Martial, who only recently returned from injury but hobbled off again at Everton in the first half due to a hip problem, will miss out against Omonia.

"Of course, I want him in, sometimes it's disappointing when they aren't available because I know we need him. When they aren't, you have to deal with the situation," ten Hag said of the Frenchman, who scored three goals and made one in his last three games.

Captain Harry Maguire is also sidelined while midfielder Donny van de Beek and right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka remain long-term absentees.

Meanwhile, Manchester-born billionaire Jim Ratcliffe revealed on Tuesday that he had contacted United owners the Glazer family about buying the 20-time English champions, but was told they were not for sale.

Ratcliffe, head of chemical company Ineos, was interested in investing in the Red Devils back in August but no official bid was launched.

The Glazers have been the target of criticism for their failure to invest in the team who have not won a trophy in five years. United's net debt, another bone of contention among fans, had grown by nearly 23 per cent to £515 million (S$818 million) by September.

"I've met Joel and Avram (Glazer) and they are the nicest people, they are proper gentlemen," Ratcliffe, 69, told an event hosted by the Financial Times on Tuesday.

"It's owned by the six children of the father and they don't want to sell it. If it had have been for sale in the summer, yes, we would have probably had a go following on from the Chelsea thing, but we can't sit around hoping that one day United will become available."

He had failed in an attempt to buy Chelsea, who were ultimately bought by an investment group led by American Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.

Ratcliffe's Ineos group already owns French side Nice and Swiss club Lausanne.

"The most popular sport in the world is football, and it is the sport closest to us, so we should have an asset... not a Premiership (club), a premier club," he said.

REUTERS, AFP

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MAN UNITED V OMONOIA

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