It reads, quote, "As I've always done throughout my career, I try to live and play respectfully towards my colleagues, my adversaries, and my coaches."

"That hasn't changed. I haven't changed."

"I'm the same person and the same professional that I've been for the past 20 years playing elite football,"

"(and) respect has always played a very important role in my decision-making process."

"I started very young; the older and most experienced players' examples were always very important to me."

"Therefore, later on, I've always tried to set the example myself for the youngsters that grew in all the teams that I've represented."

"Unfortunately, that's not always possible, and sometimes, the heat of the moment gets the best of us."

"Right now, I just feel that I have to keep working hard in Carrington, support my teammates, and be ready for everything at any given game."

"Giving in to the pressure is not an option. It never was."

"This is Manchester United, and united we must stand."

"Soon, we'll be together once again."

He's not with the team today, so this day is not today.

You guys have not had the chance to comment on this news since we first heard it.

- (It's) Not really an apology there by Ronaldo. - No. Um...

What wa⏤were your reactions⏤I'll just take you back mid-week⏤when he left the pitch before the game was done?

Um, I thought it was disrespectful to the football club, disrespectful to his teammates, disrespectful to the fans.

And the crafted words⏤we've seen two pages on Instagram⏤is a great job by a PR team.

"Sorry"⏤one word would've been good enough for me.

To apologize, 'cause that's what he should've done.

On the best Manchester United performance, under a new manager who's had difficult circumstances coming to the football club,

this was a night for Cristiano Ronaldo⏤whether he was bought on the pitch or not⏤to go around after the game, and grab Fred by the shoulders, say,

"Well done, mate; you were brilliant tonight, and you've gotten us three points."

Fred doesn't have many big moments.

This man⏤there isn't many days Fred's gonna be the star.

He doesn't play, he doesn't start today⏤he's on the bench after playing so well mid-week.

Cristiano Ronaldo, as a teammate, should've been doing things that, instead of walking down the tunnel, sort of making it about himself.

All the talk's been since this game is about Cristiano Ronaldo, nothing to do with how well Manchester United played on the night.

Maybe that's the way he wanted it.

He⏤yeah, he did.

I⏤look, I don't... I don't disagree, um, in regards to that being disrespectful.

Of course, it is.

I think Erik ten Hag miscalculated the situation.

I think he hoped... he hoped he wouldn't get to this day.

And he hoped that Cristiano Ronaldo would accept being a role-player.

But it was never gonna happen.

They... they allowed him to leave in the summer; there's wasn't any takers at that time⏤or it was too late.

Once... once that happened, and you're expecting him to be a role player, that was never something he was gonna accept.

He's not a "aw-shucks" player.

Every team has a "aw-shucks" player; things don't go right? That's OK, it'll get better.

That's not him.

It's not him⏤he's one of the best players to ever grace the football field.

That's never ever going to be the case with him.

He is a guy who scores a hat trick, and he's so selfish that the next he goes out, and he wants to score a hat trick again.

And when you don't pass him the ball, he gets upset.

That's why we love him.

So we have to accept this side of things.

And I... and... and quite frankly, ten Hag⏤

I said at the beginning of this season he has to win this battle.

He has to win this tug-of-war.

I think, ultimately, he's gotten there.

And I think...

He's dropped Ronaldo for this game.

I don't think we'll see him again until⏤you know, I think he'll probably leave in January⏤

I don't think we'll see him in the next few games.

And then, ultimately, I think what that's done is it's bought him respect in the dress room, and ten Hag desperately needs that.

I disagree, and I disagree strongly.

It's about the team; he said, "We are a team."

And if you support the team, whether you go on for a minute, whether you don't go on at all, you support your teammates.

The moment that you start breaking it up, though, the next one can do that⏤somebody else.

There was a situation at Arsenal Football Club where Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was their top scorer, but he caused problems for the football club.

And eventually, it was a huge decision by a young coach, Mikel Arteta, to get him out of the the football club.

We have seen a better, bigger, more united Arsenal than we've ever seen because it lost one of its big stars.

- And we don't⏤ - Every player isn't treated equally.

- That's just simple. - Yeah.

So, he'll be out of the football club and ultimately get there.

Hi, there, I'm Rebecca Lowe, studio host for NBC's coverage of the Premier League.

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