CRISTIANO RONALDO’S Manchester United plight was summed up as he turned into a statue to somehow block a Bruno Fernandes’ shot.
Ron stopped bolt upright in the middle of the penalty box in the 0-0 home draw with Watford – grinding to a halt like United’s progress in the Prem.
Bruno Fernandes consoles Portugal team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo as Man Utd stuttered to another Prem stalemate, 0-0 at home to Watford Credit: Reuters
Cristiano Ronaldo shows his agony as United fire blanks against lowly Watford Credit: AP Fernandes’ angled effort cannoned away off his Portugal team-mate, who even remained reluctant to move afterwards.
Ronaldo then looked exasperated at the final whistle as the Red Devils were booed off following their latest wasteful stalemate.
But the only time United got the ball in the net from 22 shots was a Ronaldo ‘goal’ ruled out for offside.
And ironically, it was the the 37-year-old who had a goal-bound shot blocked by United teenanger Anthony Elanga.
It was Ronaldo too who struck a post from arguably the Red Devils’ best chance.
Social media was split on the moment the legend freeze-framed himself in the box.
.css-qu9fel{border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-b9nmbi{margin-bottom:16px;border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}
.css-1qsre5o{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;}
.css-q8gelu{margin-bottom:24px;}.css-7ysxcx{padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-7ysxcx:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}
.css-1x7hydu{font-family:The Sun;font-size:24px;line-height:1.1666666666666667;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:semi-condensed;padding:1px 0px;}.css-1x7hydu::before{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-bottom:calc(-0.24520833333333342em + -0.5px);}.css-1x7hydu::after{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-top:-0.2333333333333334em;}.css-1lobn43{display:inline;font:inherit;margin:0;color:rgba(0,0,0,1);}.css-1lobn43 svg{fill:rgba(0,0,0,1);}Most read in Football
.css-1gojmfd{margin-bottom:16px;}
.css-zdjvqv{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:space-around;-ms-flex-pack:space-around;-webkit-justify-content:space-around;justify-content:space-around;margin-top:calc(-12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(-12px/2);}.css-zdjvqv:before,.css-zdjvqv:after{content:”;display:block;}
.css-1meuhfk{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;margin-top:calc(12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(12px/2);}
BETTING SPECIAL – GET EITHER CHELSEA OR LIVERPOOL AT HUGE 30/1 TO WIN CARABO CUP FINAL
Some fans labelled him ‘Penaldo’ and claimed it confirmed his best days were behind him.
One extreme version of that was this message: “Cristiano is ready to play in the MLS, Qatar, China, Japan… He is almost an ex footballer.”
And another was almost as severe: “Messi and Ronaldo era officially ended this year.
“Sad but something I think we need to accept. We give them too much stick at this point.
“Ronaldo is 37. No striker succeeds at that age in the Prem.”
There was also debate over whether Fernandes’ low drive was going in.
One observer posted: “The shot was literally going wide.”
But in response another tweet posted a picture of the shot with a line following the ball from Fernandes’ foot into the bottom corner of the net.
The line, though, looked rather dodgy – a bit like that between fourth-placed United and Arsenal just behind them.
Fans were unsure if Fernandes’ shot was going in before it hit Ronaldo ⚽ Read our Manchester United live blog for the latest news and transfer gossip from Old Trafford
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
