Wayne Rooney has disagreed with Cristiano Ronaldo’s claim that Manchester United should be a top three club – saying they need to be a ‘top one team’ instead.
The Red devils have flattered to deceive this campaign, first under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and now under Ralf Rangnick, and are seventh in the Premier League ahead of Saturday’s clash with Aston Villa.
Ronaldo, who completed a return to Old Trafford last summer, criticised United’s form in an interview with Sky Sports this week and reiterated that he re-signed for United to add to his trophy collection.
- Cristiano Ronaldo explains why he clashed with some Man Utd players
- Cristiano Ronaldo sends message to Man Utd over Ralf Rangnick
- Rangnick pushing for Man Utd to appoint different manager instead of Pochettino
‘Manchester United should win the league or be second or third. I don’t see other positions for Manchester United to be honest,’ Ronaldo said. ‘In my eyes, I don’t accept that our mentality be less than to be in the top three. We are capable to change things now.
‘I don’t know the specific way I’m a player, not the coach, the president, I know the way but I’m not going to mention it here because I think it’s not ethic [sic] from my part to say that.
‘What I can say and something I can say we are in control, we can do it better, all of us. Manchester belongs in important things, we have to change that.
‘I don’t want to be here in a club to fight to be in sixth or seventh or fifth place, I’m here to try to win, to compete. ‘I think we compete but we are not yet at our best level. Long way to improve and I believe if we change our mind, we can achieve big things.’
Rooney has a different view, however, and says top-three finishes are not enough at a club like Manchester United.
‘Manchester United have to be a top one team, not top three, and I think that’s the demands the fans put on you, the demands that club has,’ Red Devils legend and Derby County boss Rooney said.
‘Of course they’re going through a very difficult period at the minute, but make no mistake that’s a club that has to be winning championships.
‘It has to be winning trophies, and that’s the pressure we come in with playing or working at Manchester United. That’s where they need to get back to. I’m sure they’re trying to do the right things to get them back to that place.’
