Former Manchester United centre-back Rio Ferdinand has blasted those claiming that Cristiano Ronaldo's return to Old Trafford has been the catalyst for the club's recent struggles.
Ronaldo, who has scored seven goals in ten appearances so far this season, returned to United on transfer deadline day at the end of the summer window from Italian giants Juventus.
His return to Old Trafford, as expected, created a wave of excitement, particularly from those associated with the Reds.
But United's recent downturn in form has seen Ronaldo attracting criticism, particularly for his failure to press high up the pitch and show a strong, willing work rate out of possession.
However, former United ace Ferdinand has rubbished claims that that is an issue, describing the criticism being directed at his former team-mate as a "disgrace."
"I've heard some talk, and the only way I can explain it is [that] it's blasphemy," Ferdinand told FIVE. "When I heard some people talking about 'Ronaldo's the reason why United aren't going to be a success.'
"Ronaldo turning up at United, and yeah, it's great, but 'he's going to be the reason why they don't do anything'.
"Listen, I've been seeing too much of it, don't talk like that. Please, it's a disgrace, absolute disrespect.
"A player that's done what he's done in the game, a superstar at any generation, he'll be one of the best players in any generation you can think about, and even again, he just told people at the weekend what he's about here… the pressure's on, and he scores.
"To think that because he doesn't press, because he doesn't run as much as other people… that's not what he's there for.
"You play to people's strengths sometimes, you can do that when you've got a superstar in your team sometimes for certain clubs."
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