A fan who was hoping to get an autograph from Cristiano Ronaldo was let down because he appeared to be giving his undivided attention to the Manchester derby.

The match against City will take place on Sunday at The Etihad Stadium, and the 37-year-old is expected to start for Manchester United when they take on City. This season in the Premier League, Ronaldo has only started one game, with Erik ten Hag opting to use the veteran as a sub rather than a starting option.

The manager of Manchester United doesn't have much of a choice but to go with the club's top scorer from the previous campaign because Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial are both dealing with significant injury concerns. In order for Ten Hag to have any chance of upsetting the odds against the champions, Ronaldo will need to play at a high level right from the start.

And it was reported that he had arrived at United's Carrington base, where he was going to finish up some of the game's finishing touches in preparation for City. A fan waiting by the roadside for Ronaldo to sign his autograph was captured on camera as he watched the soccer star drive into the training ground.

In spite of this, the forward did not stop their vehicle in the line of traffic but instead drove on by, giving a cursory thumbs up as a form of consolation. Ronaldo has demonstrated in the past that he is more than willing to spend time with fans, even when they enter the field of play to confront him.

During a World Cup qualifying match in Dublin from the previous year, a fan in a state of desperation ran onto the field in an attempt to get a moment with their hero. Before the young intruder and his companion were led away, he offered them a hug and the match shirt he was wearing as protection from the security guards.

That was during a much happier time for Ronaldo, as he had just a few weeks earlier established himself as the player with the most goals scored in the history of men's international football. One year later, the star player for United is drawing criticism at the club level, which has led to calls for him to be benched from the national team.

Cristiano Ronaldo is generous with fans.

As a result of Ronaldo's two subpar performances during the most recent international break, Fernando Santos' team was eliminated from contention for a spot in the semifinals of the Nations League. The Portuguese press has said that Bruno Fernandes needs the additional responsibility without his United comrade, which has led to further pressure being placed on Santos to remove the captain from his position.

However, it seems unlikely given that Santos and Fernandes are both standing up for Ronaldo after their team's elimination from the Nations League competition at the hands of Spain. "The manner in which the team competed is what I find interesting. Ronaldo probably had three or four opportunities to score. Two very good ones, which is the standard number of points he gets. He was unable to score. It's a game of football, "Santos explained.

Fernandes continued by saying, "It wasn't just Cristiano who was unsuccessful. We each attempted it, but we were unsuccessful. The goalkeeper for Spain turned in a strong performance. There is no reason to make a big deal out of Cristiano's situation; he is doing well and remains committed to contributing to the national team in the same way he has in the past.

Fernando Santo may drop Ronaldo before the World Cup.

"Just like the rest of us, Cristiano was experiencing a lot of frustration. He has the desire to score goals, and as long as he keeps working toward that goal, he will succeed. These are different stages.

"When you score, you will have greater confidence, which will allow you to continue contributing to our team's success by scoring many goals." Don't forget that you hold the record for most goals scored by an individual on this team.

On Friday afternoon, Ten Hag will address the media and confirm team news. He will provide a more precise indication of Ronaldo's role, and he will also provide an update on fellow outcast Harry Maguire, who was seen limping after England's draw with Germany. Ten Hag will address the media and confirm team news.