Three stars are 'scared' of Cristiano Ronaldo, pundit claims

Gabriel Agbonlahor has suggested that three Manchester United stars are 'scared' of Cristiano Ronaldo after the pundit hit out at the Portuguese's 'sulking' during the Red Devils' 1-1 draw at Newcastle.

United provided a lacklustre performance at St James' Park on Monday night, with Ronaldo, 36, unable to find a winner as Ralf Rangnick's side settled for a point on Tyneside.

Former United legend Gary Neville claimed that the Red Devils' dressing room contained 'whingebags' and questioned the body language of the likes of Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes.

And now former Aston Villa star Agbonlahor has suggested that Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood and Jadon Sancho are intimidated by the Portuguese superstar.

Ronaldo has scored a superb 13 goals in 18 games for United, but his single-minded approach to goal scoring, Agbonlahor suggests, is having a negative effect on United's young guns.

‘It looks to me like Ronaldo just cares about his goals,’ Agbonlahor told Football Insider. ‘That performance from Ronaldo was somebody sulking all game.

‘He was throwing his hands up in the air because he wasn’t getting chances. Then after the game, he runs off the pitch sulking and I imagine he’s sulking in the changing room.

‘His attitude was off. If I’m Rashford, Greenwood and Sancho I’m scared to have a shot. Every time they have a shot he’s got his arms up to say, “Why haven’t you passed to me?”

‘The harmony is not right in that changing room. The form of Rashford and Greenwood has dropped since Ronaldo has been there.

‘They can’t express themselves, it’s like they think, “I have to pass to Ronaldo, I have to create a chance for Ronaldo”.

‘Before Ronaldo came, Greenwood was taking players on and shots on and he’s not doing that anymore and getting dragged at half-time.

‘If I was Rashford, Greenwood or Sancho I’d be saying to myself, “Oh, why did we have to bring him here?”'

Agbonlahor suggested that the best solution is for Rangnick to drop Ronaldo, and insisted that if the German 'had anything about him' he would play the youngsters over the Portuguese veteran.

‘He’s an amazing player who has had an amazing career but he’s not the same player he was. United played their best football of the season against Chelsea with Ronaldo on the bench.

‘Rashford, Greenwood and Sancho can play as a front three rotating positions and running in behind. If the manager had anything about him, he’d drop Ronaldo for the next game.’

United will hope to bounce back against Burnley on Thursday night with Rangnick's side now seven points adrift of fourth, currently occupied by Arsenal.