Erik ten Hag says he will act as both "friend" and "teacher" for Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United this season.

Portugal superstar Ronaldo remained at Old Trafford despite reportedly wanting out during the transfer window due to the club's failure to qualify for the Champions League this season.

Rumours continued to swirl right up until deadline day but Ronaldo, who returned for a second spell from Juventus in August 2021, was part of the squad that defeated Leicester City 1-0 – coming off the bench in Thursday's win.

"[He stayed], as we said. It's really early in the season and we have a squad and we have more than starting 11 players and that is what you see now," Ten Hag said.

"Players who are now on the bench can play in one, two or three weeks."

Ronaldo's solitary start from five Premier League appearances this season came in the embarrassing 4-0 drubbing at Brentford last month.

Since that humiliating defeat at the Bees, United earned a 2-0 triumph over fierce rivals Liverpool and followed up with back-to-back 1-0 victories over Southampton and Leicester.

Part of the reason for Ronaldo's lack of starts can be attributed to the fact he missed much of pre-season due to a family issue.

For United boss Ten Hag, Ronaldo will be treated the same as any other player depending on the situation.

"I will be his friend, sometimes I will be his teacher. It depends on the situation," he added.

"But, as we all know, he didn't have the pre-season and you cannot miss the pre-season.

"It is a base, especially in the game we play, the way of play. We play another type in comparison with last year.

"It depends on the demands, cooperation and it demands certain positioning, in and out of position, and the other thing is fitness."

United face Arsenal on Sunday with Ten Hag having a few decisions to ponder, including Casemiro – a transfer-window signing from Real Madrid – pushing for a first start.

Forward Antony arrived in a big-money deal from Ajax on deadline day too, with some pundits questioning the reported £80.6million (€95m) fee forked out.

Defenders Lisandro Martinez (Ajax) and Tyrell Malacia (Feyenoord) also joined from the Eredivisie, and Ten Hag has no fears about any of the trio's ability to adapt to the Premier League.

"First the players who we signed are internationals for their countries," said Ten Hag, who also arrived from the Eredivisie having left Ajax.

"They performed really well in the Champions League and thirdly looking at their individual skills they are capable of playing high-intensity football, the players we selected and recruited."

Martinez could have been lining up against United on Sunday with Arsenal having been credited with an interest in the Argentine defender.

Having come under scrutiny following the Brentford setback, Martinez has excelled and won United's Player of the Month award for August but Ten Hag is confident there is more to come.

"Yes, I wanted him, he's ball-playing but also you see his defending capabilities," Ten Hag said of Martinez.

"His toughness, his positioning, his anticipation and togetherness.

"I know what he is able to do. This is a base. He is doing well but he has to do much better."

Sunday's Premier League clash at Old Trafford between Manchester United and Arsenal is a fixture that in years gone by would have had significant ramifications in the title race.

United and Arsenal spent the best part of the noughties fighting it out for honours in the prime years of Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger. It was box office stuff.

That pair of legends have since left their posts and both clubs have stuttered as a result, with title glory now beyond the realm of expectation as the sides instead focus on achieving a top-four finish and Champions League football.

In the 2022-23 season, neither will be in Europe's elite competition, with Arsenal in the midst of a five-year Champions League drought and United finishing sixth last term – the fifth time in nine seasons outside of the top four.

Mikel Arteta and Erik ten Hag are the men tasked with improving upon that record at their respective clubs, the Gunners having stood firm despite struggles at the start of last season and United turning to the former Ajax boss ahead of the new campaign.

In modern football, unlike in the eras of Ferguson and Wenger, it is not just the management who have a direct influence in proceedings, with executives in the club's hierarchy having a major say on transfer market activity.

Both clubs fell into disarray in the market after the departures of their long-serving managers, Arsenal making expensive mistakes in Nicolas Pepe and United spending close to a billion on an array of recruits in the post-Ferguson era.

Under the watch of Edu, Arsenal now appear to be moving forward with a clear plan alongside Arteta, demonstrating a ruthlessness in the past few years to oust numerous high-earning players from the squad – creating room for recruits like Gabriel Jesus.

In the three seasons since Edu has been in charge of transfer activity, following the departure of Raul Sanllehi, the Gunners have allowed the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Mesut Ozil, Willian and Shkodran Mustafi to leave the club by cancelling their contracts.

In the wake of those bold decisions, Arsenal have not readily sought like-for-like replacements, instead freeing up room in what was viewed as a bloated wage bill. 

Alongside this, Arsenal have made a conservative effort in the transfer market to create a squad that can be a success for years to come, particularly in the last two seasons.

Since the 2021-22 campaign, Arsenal's only recruit above the age of 25 is the capture of goalkeeper Matt Turner in the current window – a player who stands as the understudy to first-choice stopper Aaron Ramsdale and a replacement for Bernd Leno, who joined Fulham.

Edu appears to have learnt lessons from 2020-21, his first season at the helm, where five of six recruits were above the age of 25 – Thomas Partey, Pablo Mari, Alex Runarsson, Willian and Cedric Soares.

At United, the overall look of the recruitment drive paints a vastly different picture. In the past two seasons, five of nine recruits fall into the 25 or over category; Raphael Varane, Cristiano Ronaldo, Tom Heaton, Casemiro and Christian Eriksen. In the season prior, Alex Telles and Edinson Cavani fall into that category.

It is also worth identifying the sums paid for players of this ilk, with Arsenal's deal for Turner reportedly worth up to £7.5m if add-ons are met, a figure that is dwarfed by United's reported spending.

Since the 2021-22 transfer window, United have reportedly splashed over £100m on the deals to land Varane, Ronaldo and Casemiro – with add-ons in those deals potentially seeing a further rise in costs.

While Ronaldo was able to repay his fee with 18 Premier League goals last term, he has pushed for an exit in the current window due to a desire to play in the Champions League, but, in the case of Varane, United splashed further money on Lisandro Martinez despite already having Varane and Harry Maguire in the squad.

United's questionable approach in the market has also come under scrutiny amid deals that were reportedly eyed but not completed, including apparent intentions to sign Marko Arnautovic and Adrien Rabiot in the current window, then setting sights on Ajax's Antony and concluding a whopping £86m deal.

Time will tell whether Arsenal's approach is successful but the club appear to have all their major pieces moving in the right direction, while at United it is a difficult task to put your finger on exactly what the plan is.

Sunday's result may provide bragging rights for the winning team but in the long-term battle, there appears to only be one winner.

Erik ten Hag hailed the progress Manchester United have made in their defensive work after recording three successive victories, as he weighs up whether to hand Antony his debut against Arsenal on Sunday.

United continued their recovery from a dismal start to Ten Hag's tenure on Thursday, with Jadon Sancho's goal seeing off Leicester City at the King Power Stadium.

The Red Devils last posted three successive league wins in December 2021, when they downed Arsenal, Crystal Palace and Norwich City.

Ten Hag's team have also kept back-to-back clean sheets after clinching a shutout win over Southampton last week, but while the Dutchman is pleased with their defensive improvements, he knows there is still work to be done.

"I have seen some good stuff, you are taking about that. I see structures are coming, we are constructing and that's good to see," he said.

"We have to do that and improve from game to game, and that means work on the training ground, on the video, and in the games.

"Collectively, I see the whole team is defending and that makes it more easy for our defenders, but I think what they do well is they cooperate, they do it together and they support each other.

"They have a good performance and that makes it hard for the opposition to create chances, I think that's what we see in this moment."

Asked where United need to make further progress, Ten Hag added:  "I think many more things, about formation, about creating lines and then making the right decisions on the ball.

"Off the ball, we have made a good step, we have a base, but there is still a lot of room for improvement." 

United ended a busy transfer window by getting deals for Ajax winger Antony and Newcastle United goalkeeper Martin Dubravka over the line, but Ten Hag remains unsure whether the former will make his debut against the Gunners.

"Today he did his first training, individually," he said of Antony on Thursday. "Tomorrow we have a team session and Saturday we have a team session.

"So I will think about it, and we will take a decision."

Antony's compatriot Casemiro, meanwhile, is still awaiting his first United start since joining from Real Madrid, with Ten Hag naming the same starting line-up for each of the Red Devils' three consecutive wins.

Asked whether the midfield enforcer could be introduced on Sunday, Ten Hag said: "It is an option. 

"I have seen Arsenal, they are a tough opponent. They have started very well, as we all know, this season. You can see they are a team who are together with the coach, he is bringing his philosophy.

"For us it's a good test, we are really looking forward to it.

"We will pick the right team to start, but as you see, it's not only the team, we have a squad."

United have only won one of their past eight Premier League games against Arsenal, posting three draws and four losses in that sequence. However, the Red Devils did triumph 3-2 in this fixture last campaign.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has rejected the notion that Cristiano Ronaldo needs to accept being a bit-part player after failing to secure a move away from Old Trafford.

Ronaldo had tried to engineer a move away from Old Trafford after requesting a transfer, but failed to find a suitor to satisfy his desire for Champions League football and to challenge for trophies prior to the window closing on Thursday.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner, who has another year on his United contract, was used off the bench in a 26-minute cameo in United's 1-0 win at Leicester City on Thursday. Ronaldo has only made one start this Premier League season, with four appearances off the bench.

The 37-year-old missed United's pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia for personal reasons, and Ten Hag suggested that regaining match conditioning was behind his substitute role rather than falling down the pecking order, and that he may come into the starting XI in coming weeks.

"It is really early in the season," Ten Hag said. "We have a squad, more than 11 starting XI players. That's what you see now.

"Players who are now on the bench can play in one, two or three weeks.

"We are raising a team, they are sticking together, they fight for each other, cooperate. Now we have to step up further."

Ronaldo is yet to score this term for United, but netted 24 goals from 38 appearances in all competitions last season, including a team-high 18 Premier League goals.

The Portuguese icon had been linked with Chelsea, Atletico Madrid, Sporting CP, Napoli and Bayern Munich in recent weeks but nothing materialised.

Erik ten Hag is happy with the progress Manchester United are making but still wants greater ruthlessness after only beating Leicester City 1-0.

United made it three Premier League wins in a row on Thursday with their slender victory at the King Power Stadium, a streak they had not managed since December.

Jadon Sancho got the only goal of the game in a first half that United generally controlled, but they were unable to increase their lead and that offered Leicester encouragement.

Still, Leicester struggled to take advantage of their own second-half improvement, with United's defence impressing once again with a solid collective effort as the hosts' chances only amounted to 0.6 expected goals.

United might have finished Leicester off towards the end during Cristiano Ronaldo's lively cameo, and although their wasteful finishing mattered little in the end, Ten Hag was not completely satisfied.

"It is another step forward, so we are happy with that," he told BT Sport.

"Again, good team spirit. We had 11 players the on pitch who fought for each other. Compact, good press, and scored a lovely team goal.

"There is room for improvements, still, but that is normal at this part of the season."

He added: "We can be dangerous in transition moments, we know that, especially the second half. And also in first half, there were many spaces that we did not exploit that well. With better decisions we should have scored a second goal.

"We have to be more [ruthless], but, as I said there is room for improvement, and we will work on that."

Sancho's winner was his second Premier League goal of the season, meaning the England international is already only one behind his total for last term.

Ten Hag acknowledged the winger's improved condition but was keen to focus on the collective and the team's unity.

"He had a really good pre-season, he invested a lot in pre-season and now in the season you see he can make the difference.

"He's a great player but also the whole team, because I think it's a good team goal.

"I'm happy with the clean sheet, and you see when we have 11 on the pitch who defend together and attack together, and when you add that in the energy, you see what we can achieve."

United are in action again on Sunday when their improved standing will be put to the test at home to an Arsenal side that have won all five of their games this season.

Manchester United have won three Premier League games in a row for the first time this year as they beat Leicester City 1-0 at the King Power Stadium on Thursday.

Although United's performance was by no means flawless, victory moved them up to fifth in the table, with the nightmares of their first two games of the season seemingly a distant memory.

United were fully deserving of the first-half lead that was given to them by Jadon Sancho at the end of an incisive move – though their level dropped significantly after the restart.

Leicester were encouraged and carried greater threat, but clear-cut chances remained at a premium as United's solid backline helped guide the visitors to another win.

United looked sharp right from the start and almost went ahead in the 11th minute, but Christian Eriksen shot into the side-netting after breaking into the left side of the area.

The breakthrough arrived 12 minutes later, though.

Diogo Dalot intercepted Danny Ward's long ball and found Bruno Fernandes, who hurried the ball on to Marcus Rashford and he fed Sancho to round the Leicester goalkeeper and apply a simple finish.

The hosts looked reinvigorated after the break and nearly levelled early on as David de Gea produced an acrobatic save to keep James Maddison's free-kick out of the top-right corner.

Leicester failed to build on that momentum and United – boosted by a lively Cristiano Ronaldo cameo – finished with something of a flurry, though their inability to add a second goal might have been punished had James Justin kept a stoppage-time strike down.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has claimed Cristiano Ronaldo is happy to stay at the club.

Ronaldo was widely reported to be pushing for an exit from Old Trafford due to his desire to play in the Champions League but offers were seemingly not forthcoming.

With the transfer window closing on Thursday, Ronaldo is set to remain at the club until at least January, barring any last-minute offers, but Ten Hag is adamant the 37-year-old is not disappointed by that outcome.

"We are on the same page. [He is happy to stay] otherwise he wouldn't be here," Ten Hag told reporters.

"From the start we said we planned with him, we are happy with him, he's happy to be here, and we want to make the season a success together."

Pressed on how Ronaldo – who has not started United's last two matches – could fit into his tactical approach, Ten Haag expressed confidence the former Real Madrid and Juventus superstar could settle into any system.

"The way of playing, the set of demands, you can see in training Ronaldo has the ability," he added.

"He will fit in because, I don't have to explain, he is a great player with great capabilities. He will fit in every system and every style. We are on one page, and he knows what the demands are."

Ten Hag has added to his ranks in the final days of the window with the capture of Antony, with the winger signing from former club Ajax for a fee of £85million (€100m).

Antony's arrival came just over a week after United had spent a reported £70m (€80m) on Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro, but Ten Hag made it clear such spending was necessary.

"All the top clubs in the Premier League spent a lot of money, that is how the market developed," he explained. "I can do nothing about it, no one can, it's just the market. We have to accept how it went.

"If you want to compete at the top, you don't have a choice. All the Premier League clubs spent this kind of money. If you want to fight for the top four positions you have to do it, and we have the ambition, especially over the long term, to play for trophies, so I think we had to do it."

United face Leicester City on Thursday, seeking a third Premier League win in a row after starting the campaign with back-to-back defeats.

Erik ten Hag has reiterated Cristiano Ronaldo remains part of his plans at Manchester United as the transfer window draws to a close.

Ronaldo has started just once under the former Ajax head coach this season and has failed to impress in his substitute appearances.

The Portugal great was United's top scorer on his return to Old Trafford last term, but they slumped to a disappointing sixth-placed finish and missed out on qualification for the Champions League.

Ronaldo – the competition's record marksman – has reportedly been keen to return to the Champions League in this window, with links to several clubs, including Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Napoli and Atletico Madrid.

A move is yet to materialise, though, and the deadline is looming on Thursday.

When asked whether Ronaldo would remain with United ahead of their trip to Leicester City earlier on Thursday, manager Ten Hag replied: "It is clear. We need quality players and you need more to cover all the games to keep the consistency going. That's what we strive for.

"We still need to strengthen the offensive department because we have many games to cover."

United are close to completing the signing of Ajax winger Antony in a deal that cause rise to £85.6million (€100m), having already announced an agreement, while Newcastle United goalkeeper Martin Dubravka is reportedly set to arrive on loan.

Although he will remain alert, Ten Hag believes Antony and Dubravka would mark the final incomings of the window, with the Dutchman also confirming Aaron Wan-Bissaka will remain at the club despite speculation linking Barcelona full-back Sergino Dest with a move to Old Trafford.

"I think so for this window, it will be the end [no more transfers after Dubravka]," Ten Hag added. "But when there is a great opportunity, you always have to be alert as a top club.

"Aaron will stay. This squad will go from September to a minimum January."

Manchester United make the trip to Leicester City on Thursday on the back of successive Premier League victories, coinciding with captain Harry Maguire dropping out of the side.

Already under pressure in some quarters following chastening defeats to Brighton and Hove Albion and Brentford in his first two games in the job, Erik ten Hag made the bold call to drop his skipper – as well as star forward Cristiano Ronaldo – for the subsequent wins over Liverpool and Southampton.

After claiming six points from six and letting in just one goal across those two matches, compared to six conceded in their first two outings, Ten Hag has no real reason to integrate Maguire back into his starting line-up for the King Power Stadium clash.

With Maguire set for a watching brief from the bench against his former side, Stats Perform looks at what exactly has gone wrong for the England international, and whether there is any way back.

OLD TRAFFORD BECOMES HARRY'S HOUSE

Maguire joined United in an £80million deal from Leicester in August 2019, a fee that remains the most ever paid for a defender. With that valuation comes pressure, yet the centre-back thrived in his new surroundings and was named captain the following January following Ashley Young's move to Inter.

The 29-year-old played the full 90 minutes in each of his first 71 Premier League matches, equalling Gary Pallister's club record, though he could not quite surpass him as he was substituted in the following game against Aston Villa with a minor injury.

Put simply, Maguire was a guaranteed starter and often repaid that faith, reflected in his stats across those first two campaigns. 

Between the start of the 2019-20 season and the end of 2020-21, Maguire ranked second for interceptions (132), second for duels won (443), second for successful passes (4,127) and fourth for recoveries (436) among all Premier League defenders.

THE CAPTAIN OF A SINKING SHIP

Last season was a difficult one for United and by extension Maguire, who as captain had to front up to the club's issues. The Red Devils finished with their lowest-ever Premier League points tally (58) and failed to record a positive goal difference for the first time in over 30 years.

The 57 goals United scored last season was massively down on each of Maguire's first two campaigns at Old Trafford, but even more alarmingly, they shipped a whopping 57 goals across their 38 matches – the most they have let in in a single season in 43 years.

From being towards the top of several metrics in the two campaigns prior, Maguire was nowhere to be seen in the 2021-22 campaign. The Englishman's cause was not helped by missing eight matches, though even on a per-game basis his figures dipped in a number of key areas.

The number of goals conceded per 90 minutes went from 0.95 in his first season to 1.47 last time out; recoveries dropped from 6.2 to 5.3; duels won from 6.3 to 4.7; and successful passes from 57 on average to 48.

TEN HAG'S BIG CALL

Maguire has always had his critics, but the criticism aimed his way has become much louder over the past 12 months. While everyone is entitled to their opinion, the abuse went too far in April this year when Maguire received a bomb threat at his house.

The defender's hopes of winning over the fanbase were hit by disappointing displays in United's opening two games of the current campaign, coinciding with new recruit Lisandro Martinez being integrated into the team as the left-sided centre-back.

It had become clear that change of some sort was required, and Ten Hag made a huge call prior to the Liverpool match in replacing Maguire with Raphael Varane, and it is likely that the pairing will now be given a run in the side to strengthen their partnership.

There were plenty of positives to see against Liverpool, a game in which the Red Devils kept one of the most formidable attacks relatively quiet until Mohamed Salah's 81st-minute consolation, and also against Southampton, when keeping just a second clean sheet in 15 league outings.

FINDING A BETTER BALANCE

But are United a better side without Maguire in their back-line? In the 12 league matches they have started without him since the start of last season, they have won just four for a win percentage of 33.3 per cent, compared to 46.7 per cent with him in the side across 30 games.

In terms of goals against, however, United concede 1.6 compared to 1.3 with and without Maguire respectively. Ten Hag would not just have been looking at the goals conceded column when electing to leave Maguire out of his side, of course, with plenty of other factors to take into equation.

One of the reasons Martinez was signed is because of his ability on the ball, reflected in his 92.5 passes per 90 minutes in Eredivisie last season, with an 89 per cent pass-accuracy rate.

By comparison, Maguire averaged 56 passes a match in the Premier League and found his target 86 per cent of the time. It is not entirely fair to compare figures across divisions, though Maguire also lagged behind team-mate Varane (88 per cent) in terms of passing accuracy. 

NO GUARANTEES GIVEN BY TEN HAG

Ironically, the timing of Maguire being dropped coincides with the team finally signing the defensive midfielder they have been crying out for in recent years, with Casemiro bringing ample experience from his time at Real Madrid.

Ultimately, Ten Hag has to find the right balance and has landed on Varane and Martinez to help keep out the opposition and build from the back, with Casemiro operating just in front of the defence.

Just two months on from confirming Maguire would remain skipper, the Dutchman has suggested the former Leicester man will have to bide his time before being called upon again.

"It doesn't mean when you are captain you are established to always play," he said. "Especially when you also have Varane in your squad. We have options. Varane: his stature is immense and in pre-season we took a decision to build him physically so he had a bit of a slow start.

"He was fit in the first games but in the first period of pre-season he wasn't always so we are happy we built him in that way."

If Ten Hag's arrival was supposed to provide Maguire with an opportunity to kickstart his Old Trafford career and return to the previous form shown with United and England, instead it has left him at something of a crossroads amid talk of a possible move away.

Back at the ground where he truly made a name for himself, Maguire must watch on and wonder when – or if – he will get another chance to prove he has what it takes to play a part under Ten Hag.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag could not be certain Cristiano Ronaldo will still be at the club after next week's transfer deadline.

Ronaldo returned to Old Trafford a year ago and, although he finished the 2021-22 season as United's top scorer with 18 Premier League goals, he could not prevent the club having a dreadful campaign.

United registered their worst points tally in Premier League history and failed to record a positive goal difference for the first time in over 30 years.

As a result, United comfortably missed out on Champions League qulification for this season, which seemed to be the root of widespread pre-season reports suggesting Ronaldo wanted to leave.

He was linked with several clubs, including Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Napoli and Atletico Madrid, but no move materialised and he eventually linked up with Ten Hag's squad towards the end of pre-season after missing their tour of Australia and Thailand.

Although there are reportedly no clubs currently interested in him, uncertainty stoked by press speculation continues to cloud Ronaldo's future; and while Ten Hag says he wants the Portugal striker to stay, he was hardly convincing when asked if that will be the case.

Speaking following Saturday's 1-0 win at Southampton, during which Ronaldo endured an error-strewn second-half cameo, Ten Hag said: "We plan with him. So we want him to stay. So that is what we want."

Ten Hag was then asked if Ronaldo would definitely remain if he wanted him to stay, and the Dutchman looked unsure as he hesitated to answer.

With something of a shrug, he replied: "I hope so."

The transfer window closes on Thursday, and United are expected to be active in the market before then.

Ajax's Antony and Cody Gakpo of PSV are the two attackers who have been most prominently linked with United in recent weeks, with the former publicly pleading for his club to sell him on Friday.

Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti would love to see Cristiano Ronaldo move to Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

He doubts it will happen before the transfer deadline on Thursday, but Spalletti made it clear he believes Ronaldo could make a big impact on his team.

Ronaldo is no stranger to Serie A after spending three seasons at Juventus, and Napoli have been linked with a move for the 37-year-old in recent days.

He continues to be linked with an exit after starting just once this season under new Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, having joined the Red Devils when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was boss 12 months ago.

Dutchman Ten Hag said on Saturday, after Ronaldo played as a substitute in the 1-0 win at Southampton: "We want him to stay."

There is time for movement, however, before the exit door closes, with Ronaldo reportedly keen to play Champions League football in the new season, which is something United cannot offer.

Talk of a swap deal involving Napoli's Victor Osimhen was brushed aside by Osimhen's agent this week, with Roberto Calenda writing on Twitter: "No negotiations in progress, no exchanges."

Now Spalletti has offered his personal view on Ronaldo, saying on Saturday: "Anyone would like to coach him, but as Osimhen's agent said there is no negotiation. [Napoli owner Aurelio] De Laurentiis also confirmed this."

With the window closing, Spalletti added: "I see it as difficult."

Ronaldo has had little to say about his future. He has been tipped for moves to the likes of Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea, Sporting CP and Atletico Madrid in recent weeks, but nothing has materialised. Last season, he was United's 24-goal leading scorer across all competitions.

Spalletti is one of the first significant figures to openly enthuse about the prospect of signing the veteran former Real Madrid forward during this twilight phase of his rightly lauded career.

He sees no problem with integrating Ronaldo, should he ever become available to Napoli.

"We are talking about someone who has won more championships, scored more goals, has the quality to be anywhere on the pitch," said Spalletti, quoted by Corriere dello Sport, ahead of his team's match at Fiorentina on Sunday.

"He is someone who resolves things on his own. The problem would not exist in one way or another."

Erik ten Hag plans to keep Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United after their valuable win at Southampton, as he revealed his club are "alert" to the possibility of incomings.

Bruno Fernandes scored a terrific goal to guide United to a 1-0 win at St Mary's on Saturday, doubling their Premier League points tally for the season and handing Ten Hag his first back-to-back victories at the helm.

As well as claiming their first consecutive league wins since February, when they beat Brighton and Hove Albion and Leeds United, the Red Devils ended a seven-match away losing run. 

While United offered a glimpse of their potential under Ten Hag with a professional display on the south coast, movement is expected at Old Trafford before the transfer window closes on Thursday.

Ronaldo continues to be linked with an exit after starting just once this season, while Eredivisie duo Antony and Cody Gakpo have been touted as attacking targets.

While Ten Hag is still eyeing further additions, he insists Ronaldo remains in his thoughts, telling BT Sport: "We plan with him, we stick to the plan.

"If a good player is available, we will strike, because we want to strengthen the squad always. We will be alert until the last second of the window."

United have improved dramatically since they were comprehensively outplayed by Brighton and Brentford in Ten Hag's first two games in charge, and the Dutchman was satisfied with their latest performance.

"I think they learned some lessons from Brentford, it's quite clear. We were compact on their long balls, so that was quite good," he added.

"Of course, we are really happy with this result and also the goal we made. We also made two or three more really good chances, but you hope that you keep more control in the last 30 minutes of the game.

"Don't forget that before half-time we already had the biggest chance of the game, and it was three in one play! I was satisfied and at the start of the game, with better decisions and switches of play, we could have created more.

"But it's the start of the season. It's tough. You have to get into the season, and you have to fight and battle and we did that, then you get rewarded."

Fernandes was the star of the show on Saturday, scoring his 37th Premier League goal for United as he donned the captain's armband – only Mohamed Salah (54), Harry Kane (49) and Son Heung-min (45) have outscored the Portugal midfielder in the Premier League since his 2020 debut.

And Ten Hag said his well-worked strike typifies the style of football he wants to implement at Old Trafford. 

"It was a fantastic finish and I'm really happy for him, his first goal of the season, which is really good," Ten Hag said.

"But I think it was the best part from us, straight after half-time. That is what we demand, you get movement around, and straight after half-time we created three really good chances.

"That is how I see football, how I want us to play.

"There is still room for improvement, to control more, break more or keep better positions in some stages of the game. We are not that long in our way, like every team, but there we can improve."

Bruno Fernandes praised Manchester United for picking up where they left off in their win over Liverpool after firing them to a 1-0 victory at Southampton.

Fernandes produced a classy side-footed finish when he met Diogo Dalot's cross after 55 minutes at St Mary's, guiding United to back-to-back wins for the first time since Erik ten Hag took charge.

Since Fernandes made his United debut in February 2020, only Mohamed Salah (54), Harry Kane (49) and Son Heung-Min (45) have scored more Premier League goals than the Portuguese livewire (37).

The creative midfielder has assumed a crucial role in United's improvement this week, taking on the captain's armband for each of their last two games with Harry Maguire and Cristiano Ronaldo both starting on the bench.

Fernandes hailed United's attitude after the win on the south coast, telling BT Sport: "We knew that playing against Southampton away is not easy. We have experienced that already in the last three years.

"We did a great game, sometimes you have to suffer. This is the Premier League, every game is tough. Well done to us.

"Massive three points for us. Now we have to carry on.

"It's important because one win doesn't make the league, two wins don't make the league. We have to carry on this sacrifice in the last two games for the rest of the season. This is what this club demands.

"After Liverpool everyone could feel it, we set the standard so we have to carry on now and if we can, improve it."

Asked about his goal, a cultured finish from a bouncing ball just inside the penalty area, Fernandes was keen to highlight the selfless contributions of Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho.

"It was a great ball, even great play from behind. Everything was perfect," he said with a smile.

"I think it was Marcus or Jadon who made the run on the goal and created the space to make it. We did it well, so well done to everyone not just me."

As well as doubling their points tally for the new campaign, United ended a dire run of form on their travels, clinching their first away Premier League win in eight attempts, having last won at Leeds United in February.

Fernandes, who starred as United went an entire Premier League season unbeaten on the road in 2020-21, is simply focused on keeping the Red Devils' improved run going.

"Obviously I think we did two or three seasons ago not losing from home," he added. "But we want to win every game. That's what it's about to play for Manchester United."

Bruno Fernandes guided Manchester United to a 1-0 victory over Southampton at St Mary's as they claimed back-to-back wins for the first time in the Erik ten Hag era and built on Monday's victory over Liverpool.

Fernandes, retaining the captain's armband as both Harry Maguire and Cristiano Ronaldo started on the bench, produced a classy 55th-minute finish to hand United the win.

Joe Aribo went closest to a leveller for Southampton with a close-range header, but United produced one of their most composed defensive performances in recent months to secure a first away league win in eight attempts.

After making a dire start to the new campaign, United have now strung together consecutive league wins for the first time since February, giving lift-off to Ten Hag's tenure.

As part of an even first half, United were denied an opener in stunning fashionwhen Gavin Bazunu, Kyle Walker-Peters and Armel Bella-Kotchap all made astonishing last-ditch blocks, as Anthony Elanga, Fernandes and Christian Eriksen all failed to convert from inside the six-yard box.

Bella-Kotchap should have done better when volleying over on the stretch near the half-hour mark, before the lively Che Adams hit a weak effort straight at David de Gea after running in behind. 

Bazunu turned away a right-footed volley from Scott McTominay four minutes after the break, but he was unable to prevent the Saints from falling behind soon after, as Fernandes side-footed Diogo Dalot's bouncing cross into the bottom-left corner. 

United were indebted to De Gea for maintaining their advantage, with the Spaniard producing a fine reflex save from Aribo's powerful header before Ronaldo was introduced.

Casemiro then made his United debut from the bench as the Red Devils clung on for a valuable win despite Sekou Mara twice going close to a last-gasp leveller.

Captain Harry Maguire will be made to work for his place in the Manchester United XI as just "one of" the team's leaders, according to manager Erik ten Hag.

Maguire has been the United captain since January 2020, having been one of the first names on the teamsheet for much of his time at Old Trafford.

But that is no longer the case after a tough start to the season, failing to impress in defeats to Brighton and Hove Albion and Brentford.

Maguire played alongside new signing Lisandro Martinez in those defeats, with his team-mate also coming in for criticism.

However, Martinez stood out against Liverpool on Monday as he kept his place at Maguire's expense, with Raphael Varane brought in.

Ten Hag appears to determined to keep faith with Martinez, and for now Varane is ahead of Maguire in the pecking order, too.

"I think it doesn't mean when you are captain you are established to play always, especially when you also have Varane in your squad," Ten Hag explained.

"We have a leader group and Harry is one of them. Bruno [Fernandes] is one of them.

"Bruno did quite well as captain [against Liverpool]. He led by example and he brings so much energy to the team in and out of possession."

Maguire will get his opportunities, though, with United involved in four competitions in a season that will be disrupted by the World Cup break.

"We have options," Ten Hag said "Varane, his stature is immense, and in pre-season we took a decision to build him physically, so he had a bit of a slow start.

"His profile, his stature and what he won already in the past shows he can really contribute to his team. For the team, there is competition, and we need that. We have to cover so many games.

"Victor Lindelof did really well in pre-season, so I am happy that he will be back in the squad, so we will have another option.

"We have competition internally, and that's good. That is what top teams need."