Dimitar Berbatov launches impassioned defence of Cristiano Ronaldo amid Manchester United struggles

Dimitar Berbatov has leapt to the defence of former Manchester United teammate, Cristiano Ronaldo.

While Ronaldo’s emotional return to Old Trafford over the course of the summer transfer window started brightly, the 37-year-old has struggled in recent weeks.

The last eight Premier League games have only yielded one goal and Ronaldo has come under criticism for his role in the team’s wider problems this season.

For many, the move to re-sign spoke of a club more focused on their own nostalgia than coherent squad planning. In the age of Liverpool and Manchester City, signing an ageing superstar didn’t appear conducive to matching leading teams around Europe.

Media reports have also frequently suggested Ronaldo is not happy with the standards currently in place at Old Trafford and could look to leave the club only a season after his dramatic comeback should they fail to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Berbatov, however, has moved to defend his former teammate, believing naysayers “need to get off his back”.

“Everything that he has achieved in football isn’t because of luck, he knows what he is doing, and he will know that he will need to produce more at the moment and trust me, that will drive him forward,” Berbatov told Betfair.

“People need to get off his back and let him get on with it.”