Decision to drop Ronaldo showed his self-belief

FOR an indication of Michael Carrick's ability to make big decisions as a manager, you only need to go back to just his second game when he was holding the fort at Manchester United between the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer era and Ralf Rangnick's spell in charge.

- By TYRONE MARSHALL

Carrick's first game was a 2-0 Champions League win in Villarreal, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho getting the goals, but when he took United to Stamford Bridge a few days later, there was a bombshell.

The former United manager dropped Ronaldo at Chelsea. It was a brave and ruthless decision from someone still finding their way in management, and it marked Carrick out as someone who had the belief to follow his convictions.

Ronaldo had been benched for one other game that season since returning to the club from Juventus, when he was very clearly rested at home against Everton. When that game finished 1-1, Solskjaer's decision was scrutinised and criticised.