Ronaldo at 37: Is time finally catching up with Man Utd superstar?

If Cristiano Ronaldo fails to score against Burnley at Turf Moor on Tuesday night, it will be his longest goal drought at club level for over a decade. 

Not since he played for Real Madrid in 2010 has the Portugal international gone five games without scoring and his current barren spell has led to debates about whether he should be dropped. 

The forward celebrated his 37th birthday over the weekend and it is fair to argue that, despite his many talents, his best days are behind him.

That is not to say he should be written off and marched to the retirement home, but a place on the Manchester United bench might not go amiss. 

His arrival back at Old Trafford in the summer sparked multiple conversations over whether he’s a help or hindrance; in reality, he has been both since his return from Juventus.

He single handedly guaranteed United's progression to the knockout stages of the Champions League but the free-flowing nature of United’s attack has fallen away since he's been brought into the side. 

He demands more from his team-mates but he should also be asking more of himself.

Of his 10 shots at Old Trafford on Friday night, in the FA Cup elimination to Middlesbrough, just three were on target and each missed opportunity was met with the kind of frustration that has become so common in Ronaldo’s performances: arms in the air, shouting at himself in annoyance. 

One of those missed chances was a failed attempt from the penalty spot, an opportunity which could have helped United ease into the fifth round.

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While his Champions League form played a pivotal role in setting up a last-16 clash with Atletico Madrid, he has been unable to find the same level of consistency in the Premier League.

He’s got eight goals in 18 appearances and is averaging a goal every 196 minutes. That is his lowest average over the last decade and his shots-per-game totals in the league are also at their lowest too. 

During his peak at Real Madrid, he was finding the back of the net every 61 minutes in La Liga and averaging over six shots a game – that figure is now less than four.

He is not the same player he was in 2014-15; he is older, the Premier League is a challenging environment and there has also been an undeniable dip in form. 

He will always be able to pull something special out of nowhere but his consistency levels, in the league especially, are not what they used to be.

Even when he was deemed to be struggling at Juventus, he had a better return in the league than what he is currently managing at United. 

As a team, United have been struggling going forward.

Manager Ralf Rangnick was happy with the number of chances they created against Middlesbrough but their inability to put them away is the reason why they have found themselves out of the FA Cup.

They can’t afford a similar display at Turf Moor on Tuesday night as United go in search of three precious points in their pursuit of a top-four finish. 

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Sources accept that Ronaldo’s return to Old Trafford last August was as much about his off-the-pitch influence as it was his ability on it.

As he walked off the pitch on Friday night, he had his arm around Anthony Elanga, reassuring the Swede, who had missed the final kick in the penalty shootout which sent Rangnick’s side out.

It is that kind of leadership and experience the club wanted to bring to the dressing room. 

However, on the field, something has not been clicking in the way it was before. Too many times it has looked like United's system has been set up solely to accommodate Ronaldo, with his team-mates constantly trying to seek him out in the box.

At this moment in time, it just isn’t working out for the Portugal captain and, with Edinson Cavani back and Elanga available, Rangnick has other options now. 

So, will the German manager ask his star man to take a supporting role to give others a run? Or will he plough on, knowing that this is a man who has scored over 800 career goals and is sure to get over his drought sooner rather than later? 

Ronaldo still has a big part to play but, at 37, the superstar might have to accept that his role may have to be slightly different to what it’s been during the previous 19 years.