Neil Lennon hopes Erik ten Hag doesn’t start Cristiano Ronaldo in tonight’s Europa League clash against his Omonia Nicosia side.
The 37-year-old came off the bench to score the winner against Everton on Sunday night at Goodison Park.
Ronaldo’s clinical left-footed finish following a pass from his former Real Madrid teammate Casemiro was his 700th goal in club football.
United’s number seven came agonisingly close to reaching the milestone in Cyprus last Thursday, but it wasn’t the former Juventus man’s night.
But after replacing Anthony Martial on the half hour mark on Merseyside, Portugal’s captain got his season’s tally in the Premier League up and running.
Neil Lennon hopes Cristiano Ronaldo doesn’t start against Omonia Nicosia
In his pre-match press conference, Lennon was asked whether he would prefer to see the Red Devils start the game at Old Trafford with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner leading the forward line.
The Northern Irishman said: “Always without Ronaldo. You see what he did on Sunday – you know the goal on the counter attack, he’s switched on and Casemiro sees the run and he’s making the run already, and you’re just thinking goal.
“He’s done that so many times in his career, and to be honest he could have scored a couple in Nicosia as well – it’s only a matter of time.
“I did say last week Manchester United will need Ronaldo as the season goes on, and that was shown on Sunday.
“I imagine he will want to play whether he does or not is another thing – whether Erik ten Hag thinks he might want him kept fresh for the weekend.
“You always want to see the greats play, but not when you’re the coach of the opposition.”
With question marks surrounding Martial’s fitness ahead of Sunday’s top-flight clash against Newcastle United at the Theatre of Dreams, it will be interesting to see whether Ten Hag hands Ronaldo his fourth consecutive Europa League start tonight.
Ronaldo’s only Premier League start so far this season came in the chastening 4-0 defeat to Brentford in mid-August
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