KEY POINTS

  • Man Utd have 16 points from 9 league games
  • Man Utd's next league meeting is with Spurs on Wednesday
  • Ronaldo has managed just 2 goals for Man Utd this season

Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte wants his side to be wary of Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of his side's meeting with Manchester United.

Conte's comments came on the eve of Spurs' trip to Manchester in the Premier League. The Italian manager wants his side to be cautious despite Ronaldo's struggling form in the ongoing season.

Recollecting Spurs' 3-2 Premier League defeat at Old Trafford in March, Conte said that his side did not lose to Manchester United but to the Portuguese forward.

"Last season he scored a hat-trick against us. We're talking about an incredible player, a top player. We're talking about a player who continues to make a difference for the team in which he plays. I have a lot of admiration for Cristiano, for his professionalism, but I hope he will remain calm, not like last season, when he scored three goals," Conte told reporters on Tuesday.

"We lost 3-2, but we lost to him, not to United last season. I remember that very well, because we played a very good game," the Spurs boss added further.

Spurs are due to be back at Old Trafford on Wednesday for the first time since they conceded Ronaldo's hat-trick in March. The 37-year-old Ronaldo became the second-oldest player behind Teddy Sheringham to record a treble in the Premier League.

This time around, Spurs are in a much better position in the league. Conte-managed side is currently placed third in the 2022-23 Premier League table with 23 points, while Manchester United are in fifth place with 16 points.

The Spurs have lost just one game this season, while the Red Devils have suffered three losses already.

Over the years, Ronaldo has scored eight Premier League goals against Spurs (including six in his last three meetings) – the most he has scored against in the English top-flight.

Cristiano Ronaldo is keen to leave Manchester United
Cristiano Ronaldo is into his second stint at Manchester United AFP / Nigel Roddis

However, Ronaldo is not having the best of starts in the campaign. He has managed just two goals in 12 appearances in all competitions for Manchester United.

Ronaldo has also fallen behind in Manchester United's pecking order under the new manager Erik ten Hag. Out of the eight league games he has featured in this season, Ronaldo has started just two.