Cristiano Ronaldo made his return to Premier League action last week, and the Portuguese superstar stole the show when scoring two goals in his second debut for Manchester United.
But as we look into the future of EPL results and league positioning, how much weight will CR7s return to Old Trafford raise the squad’s potential? Join us in previewing Ronaldo and the fortune of Manchester United through the eyes of football’s legends.
And it’s hard to disagree with the former England striker when Ronaldo has already bagged three goals in three games.
Sheringham, who owns the record as the oldest player to score a Premier League hattrick, believes that Ronaldo will continue his impressive scoring form.
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“I think he can keep it up,” Sheringham told reporters.
“Once you get past 36, with the ups and downs of the Premier League, it’s tough being kicked and getting yourself up for the next game.
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“But he knows what it’s all about and knows how to score a goal – he’s going to be alright.
“The main thing when you get to 33 or 34 is to make sure that you’re not carrying any weight, and he’s definitely not doing that. He’s also not had any significant injuries, and he’s still got the desire. Those three things are massive if you want to carry on playing.
“It’s got nothing to do with the money. He wants to enjoy getting the most out of his body and getting the most out of his career. I can see him carrying on like this throughout the season, next season and possibly even until he’s 39 as well.”
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Ronaldo was the icing on the cake during a busy transfer window where the Red Devils had also acquired the services of Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane.
But Ronaldo, he’s something else, and there is a long list of players who’ve overstayed their prime years to continue at a high level in the Premier League. Still, none of them has looked as physically strong or been as mentally stable as CR7.
Wayne Rooney (Manchester United 2004-2017)
One of the greatest to ever grace the field at Old Trafford believes Ronaldo will assist his former club in challenging the Premier League title this term. And who better than former teammate of Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, to give his opinion on the player he won countless trophies with.
“Obviously, I follow Manchester United, I want them to do well, and I think it’s great for them that they’ve brought Cristiano back,” Rooney told The Mirror.
“His mentality will rub off on the younger players, especially, so I think it’s a great signing.
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“Cristiano will know himself it’s not going to be as simple or straightforward for him as it was in Spain or Italy.
“It’s a physical league, but he knows that because he’s played in it before, so I’m sure he’s prepared and ready to go and score goals again for United.
“We saw, in the game against Ireland, what he does. In the last couple of minutes, he scores a couple of goals and great headers to have a massive impact on the Premier League.
“I think United are finally ready to go and challenge for the title, and I feel they have to, this year.
“So, Cristiano’s going to be a huge player, I think he’s going to have big moments in the season, and I’m sure he’ll score a lot of goals.”
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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (Manchester United 1996-2007)
Former United star and current manager of the club, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, could be the perfect man for the job when utilising Ronaldo in and at the correct times. We should also put some faith in his predictions for CR7 within the season; who knows him better right now?
When it comes to goals, Ronaldo has been persistent in scoring since his second season with Sporting CP in 2003, and we shouldn’t expect anything different during the 2021/22 EPL season. Bet365 Sportsbook will be offering some of the most value on odds for Ronaldo ending up as top goalscorer, but it’ll still be less than most because he’s that damn good. And of course, his most extensive supported Ole Gunnar expects the brilliance to continue.
“Yes, you know. It’s about his longevity and sustainability and his professionalism and his quality,” Solskjaer told Manchester United’s in-house media crew.
“He scored again, and I’m sure he’ll score more goals for us.”
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Manchester City auctioning off exclusive ‘artefacts’ from Pep Guardiola’s office
Danny Jones
Manchester City are set to auction off a limited number of used and/or signed items previously owned by legendary football manager Pep Guardiola himself.
The iconic Catalan head coach may have now left the club, but it’s fair to say that supporters are still grieving the bittersweet goodbye – and if you’re one of them, then this might be a good way of clinging on to him and the memories.
Teaming up with MatchWornShirt, an authentic collectables company that deals in memorabilia used by the sporting stars themselves, fans will soon be able to own a ‘piece of Pep’ if they so wish as part of this very special merchandise dump.
So, if you’re a collector of signed or match-worn merch, here’s a taster of what’s up for grabs:
Several items from @PepTeam's office are up for auction 🤝
Yes, should they be willing to put in the winning bid, Blues can genuinely own some of Guardiola‘s office knick-nacks, a tactics board and notes scribed on by the man himself, as well as his actual chair and even his whistle.
Does that count as kissing him? That’s not for us to say…
There is more standard fare, of course, such as worn training kits, photo frames, programmes and other printed media – almost all of which are signed by the 55-year-old.
On the other hand, if you’re so inclined to go for the super rare stuff, you can even buy his desk lamp and go-to coffee cups; whatever floats your boat.
The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss left Etihad Stadium this summer after 10 years as a Cityzen – with the club even releasing a dedicated ‘Decade Collection’ in his honour – and it now looks as though he could be set for his next job.
His former assistant turned replacement and ex-U23s/Elite Development Squad (EDS), Enzo Maresca, is now in place and making his first impressions on the City squad; safe to say it’ll take some work to leave the same lasting legacy as his mentor.
As for the auction, the club have labelled these exclusive trinkets as “artefacts”, promising that you won’t get many other opportunities, if any, to claim this kind of ‘KeePepsake’.
Meanwhile, in other MCFC news, the City Football Group (CFG) are taking steps to ensure local fans have easier access to matchday tickets with a new postcode lottery, of sorts.
Featured Images — Manchester City Football Club (supplied)
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Manchester United fan groups issue urgent joint letter as thousands could lose season tickets
Danny Jones
Man United fan groups have banded together to issue a joint statement as they look to urgently rectify thousands of loyal supporters having their season tickets taken away by the club.
The backlash to the confusing cancellations has been huge, and Man United themselves are yet to issue an official response or carry out the mass revocation.
More than 5,000 matchgoers are said to have received emails from MUFC informing them that their season tickets are set to be cancelled due to alleged ‘breaches of their ticket-sharing policies’. This comes as part of a wider attempt at cracking down on touts.
Manchester United’s official Supporters Trust (MUST) has joined forces with the other major fan groups to sign an urgent letter demanding not only answers but a halting of the current process and correction of what looks to be countless mistakes when it comes to ticketing decisions.
2/ The recent actions of Manchester United have finally achieved what those efforts could not: a unanimous, historic and unprecedented unification of
— MUST | Manchester United Supporters Trust (@MU_ST) July 21, 2026
The joint plea comes not only from MUST but also from fellow vocal organisations such as The Red Army (TRA), The 1958, and the Manchester United Youth Supporters Club, all of whom represent some of the most passionate and die-hard fans who travel far and wide to see their team week in and week out.
It goes on to detail that all relevant Fans’ Forum representatives, more than 100 different and crucially official supporters clubs, as well as the notable fanzine, United We Stand, have all signed the document.
The full statement goes on to read: “Earlier today, a message was sent to Manchester United emphasising full support for the Fans’ Forum’s recent letter relating to the premature suspension of Season Ticket Holders without required evidence.
“In summary, we have reiterated the demands made by the FF: immediately halt the ongoing suspension process, immediately retract all unproven suspensions, confirm the current number of season tickets; explain its apparent policy of reducing the number of STs, and confirm that all reclaimed STs are reissued to supporters on the waiting list.”
Here’s just a small taste of what fans are reporting online – including claims of local rivals Manchester City carrying out similarly brutal broad-strokes culling of the core match-going base…
Disgraceful how United are treating their most loyal supporters. The club is completely out of touch with the supporters who have been the lifeblood of the club for years. https://t.co/snM7tgVYmy
Can't even take the piss because this is coming to all Premier League clubs at some stage, including us. They don't want the legacy fans, they want the tourists https://t.co/fkg911xr3y
Many are already turning wherever they can for advice and help over the deeply troubling matter, with the consensus seeming to be that the parameters for these new measures have failed to target the right kind of touting, which does remain a problem throughout football at large.
One person claimed that “the club is targeting ‘super-users’ who log into multiple accounts from the same network or device to submit away applications, handle renewals, check ballot results, etc.”
Passing on tickets when you can’t make matches isn’t just inevitable: it’s been part and parcel of the game since forever and is also an effort to ensure that the person taking your place isn’t just any old fan but an active supporter; i.e. there’s meaning behind that word – it’s not just a noun but a verb.
That being said, it isn’t these people who should be punished but those genuinely trying to scam the system and take already expensive tickets out of real fans’ hands.
In perhaps one of the most heartbreaking posts shared on social media, another X user wrote: “Just back from holiday to discover family and friends have had their season tickets suspended.
“I’ve been offline for the past week and had no idea how widely the club had cast its net – or how many innocent Reds have been caught up in this. My uncle is 82 years old. A lifelong Red. Potentially banned because his son (also facing ban) helps him manage an app he struggles to use.” Simply gutting.
While they are still waiting for direct communication from the club on the matter, MUST have promised to share the reaction publicly “in the interests of transparency and fairness”, along with any and all “potential consequences” as a consequence of what they ultimately decide.
For anyone deliberating over just how important these tickets are not only to people who spend their hard-earned money and downtime following their club, just think of howmany rely on going to the game as a crucial social outlet.
It’s more than just watching a bunch of blokes kicking a ball around.
My heart goes out to everyone battling against the club right now. Whatever has gone on, losing your season ticket, or even the threat of it, is the worst. Seen people who have been all around watching this team for decades who are now being told they can’t go anymore. Horrible.
The Manc -
21st September 2021 
