Former Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor believes Cristiano Ronaldo's return to Manchester United has had a negative impact on the development of Jadon Sancho, Mason Greenwood and Marcus Rashford.
Agbonlahor has made the admission following United's disappointing 1-1 draw against Newcastle United at St James' Park on Monday evening, in which they needed a second half equaliser from Edinson Cavani to seal a point.
United were second best for almost all of the contest and struggled to carve out any clear-cut chances in the first half, despite boasting an attacking quartet of Bruno Fernandes, Rashford, Greenwood and Ronaldo, with Greenwood being replaced at half-time by Cavani.
Despite scoring twice on his return to United against Newcastle earlier in the season, Ronaldo failed to impose himself on proceedings at St James' Park and headed straight down the tunnel at full-time, opposed to going over and applauding the travelling contingent of away fans.
Ronaldo experienced a frustrating night on Tyneside and opportunities in front of goal were hard to come by, despite him always wanting the ball played into him.
However, Agbonlahor, who retired from playing back in 2018, has raised concerns about Ronaldo's presence at United, insisting he has had a damaging impact on the progression of England trio Sancho, Greenwood and Rashford.
"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 or 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?’
"He’s an amazing player who has had an amazing career but he's not the same player he was."
With the fixtures over this current festive and New Year period continuing to come thick and fast, interim manager Ralf Rangnick is likely to make changes when Burnley visit Old Trafford on Thursday evening.
For Agbonlahor, Ronaldo ought to be axed from the starting line-up against the Clarets.
He added: "Man 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."
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