How can Manchester United effectively get the best out of Cristiano Ronaldo?

What can Manchester United and Erik ten Hag do to get the best out of Cristiano Ronaldo?

Positional Improvement

For a team like United that currently finds success in quick counter-attacking under Ten Hag, Ronaldo can be better suited to utilise his quick movement and his amazing ability and agility to beat the final defender.

Getting back in deeper to help in the buildup is leaving a player down in the finishing department. It also means that Ronaldo’s slowness also slows or completely snuffs out the pace and the element of surprise in United’s counterattacks and buildups.

Manchester United are certainly not going to rely on their counterattacks in every game (ex: Sheriff). Therefore, Ronaldo can be excused for trying to get more involved in the game. His 81.6% pass completion rate ranks him in the 95-percentile rank among strikers in the top five European leagues.

But for his supreme finishing ability, Erik ten Hag could do better to keep him as the focal point in the box. Ronaldo still boasts supreme heading ability and his smart positioning in the box can continue to help a great deal,  evident in the Champions League last season. His finishes predominantly came off headers and shots from close to the six-yard box.