Breaking: Cristiano Ronaldo back training with Man United first team after exile

Cristiano Ronaldo returned to training with Manchester United’s first team on Tuesday and is in contention to feature in Thursday’s Europa League match at home to Sheriff Tiraspol.

The forward had been banished from first-team training by Erik ten Hag and excluded from Saturday’s draw at Chelsea as punishment for refusing to come on against Tottenham and walking down the tunnel before the end of the match.

Ronaldo and Ten Hag have been in regular contact since and the manager was satisfied it was appropriate to reintegrate the 37-year-old. Ten Hag said he had a responsibility to “set standards and values” when he took disciplinary action against Ronaldo last week.

Ronaldo stopped short of an apology when he took responsibility in a social media post last Thursday for falling short – in the “heat of the moment” – of the standards he sets himself. He then posted “Let’s go @manchesterunited” before kick-off at Stamford Bridge.

It would be a statement of sorts from Ten Hag were Ronaldo to be among the substitutes again against Sheriff, given that the Portugal international has started all four of United’s Europa League matches in a season when he has started only two Premier League games. He scored against Sheriff when the teams met in Moldova in September.