Cristiano Ronaldo was forced to leave Manchester United’s training session early on Thursday after picking up a thigh injury, according to reports.
Ronaldo could now be a doubt for the trip to Aston Villa on Saturday. The Portugal superstar is said to have left United’s Carrington training base before the other players.
United will be aiming to bounce back from the 1-0 defeat to Wolves in their last Premier League outing when they face Steven Gerrard’s Villa side this weekend.
However, they may have to make do without Ronaldo following a fresh injury.
Ronaldo missed the FA Cup third round win over Villa on Monday due to a hip problem.
But The Sun claims the 36-year-old has now picked up a separate thigh issue in training.
United’s medical specialists examined Ronaldo before he left Carrington.
Ronaldo has his own private oxygen chamber at home which he will use to aid his recovery from the injury.
The striker is said to be desperate to be fit to help United’s push towards Champions League qualification.
Ronaldo has scored eight goals in 16 Premier League appearances since his return to United.
Ralf Rangnick’s side currently sit seventh in the table, six points adrift of West Ham in fourth but with two games in hand.
In an interview with Sky Sports this week, Ronaldo insisted even fourth is not good enough for a club the size of United.
“Manchester United should win the league or be second or third,” he said.
“I don’t see other positions for Manchester United to be honest, I don’t see. In my eyes, I don’t accept that our mentality be less than to be in the top three.
“We are capable to change things now. I don’t know the specific way I’m a player, not the coach, the president, I know the way but I’m not going to mention it here because I think it’s not ethic [sic] from my part to say that.
“What I can say and something I can say we are in control, we can do it better, all of us. Manchester belongs in important things, we have to change that.
“I don’t want to be here in a club to fight to be in sixth or seventh or fifth place, I’m here to try to win, to compete.
“I think we compete but we are not yet at our best level. Long way to improve and I believe if we change our mind, we can achieve big things.”