Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag left Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench during the side's 6-3 defeat to Manchester City out of "respect" for the striker, he said.
Ronaldo was an unused substitute at the Etihad Stadium despite United finding themselves 4-0 down at half-time.
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Victor Lindelof, Anthony Martial, Fred, Casemiro and Luke Shaw all came off the bench ahead of Ronaldo, with Ten Hag insisting afterward the 37-year-old did not deserve to be subjected to humiliation at the hands of Pep Guardiola's champions.