Premier League: Cristiano Ronaldo makes a public statement after being dropped from Manchester United's squad against Chelsea

With minutes of remaining in United's 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, Ronaldo was spotted marching down the touchline and into the tunnel, visibly frustrated at not having been more involved in the game.

As he departed the ground, it is thought that post-match celebrations persisted despite the majority of attention being focused on the stubborn Portuguese.

When asked about the incident after the game, manager Erik ten Hag stated that he wanted to concentrate on his team's performance but added that he would "deal" with the 37-year-old on Thursday.

The next day, United issued a statement confirming that Ronaldo would not travel to Stamford Bridge this weekend.

The club announced that Ronaldo won't be a part of the squad playing against Chelsea and that the "rest of the squad is fully focused on preparing for that fixture."

Cristiano Ronaldo explains his stance

Now, the 37-year-old, who left Wednesday's encounter against Tottenham early and was dropped for the upcoming match against Chelsea, is attempting to justify his actions.

The Portuguese celebrity addressed his behaviour in an Instagram post on Thursday but refrained from apologizing.

"As I've always done throughout my career, I try to live and play respectfully towards my colleagues, my adversaries and my coaches," Ronaldo wrote on Instagram.

"That hasn't changed. I haven't changed. I'm the same person and the same professional that I've been for the last 20 years playing elite football, and respect has always played a very important role in my decision-making process."

"I started very young; the older and most experienced players' examples were always significant to me.

"Therefore, later on, I've always tried to set the example myself for the youngsters that grew in all the teams that I've represented. Unfortunately, that's not always possible and sometimes the heat of the moment get's the best of us."

It is unclear whether Ronaldo is referring to his perception of a distinct lack of respect from the club and Ten Hag.

Ronaldo has struggled to earn league starts this season under Ten Hag, who has usually favoured strikers with more remarkable pressing ability and speed.

After making a rare start against Newcastle on Sunday, Ronaldo was unhappy when he was replaced by Marcus Rashford, with United still needing a goal to win. It concluded 0-0.

Now that their public relationship appears to have been exposed, it is unclear whether Ronaldo will remain at the club beyond January.

Ronaldo certainly seems to be apologizing for his behaviour. He has started just two Premier League games in 2022-23 and receives minimal minutes as Erik ten Hag's substitute. At this point, it isn't easy to imagine Cristiano Ronaldo healing his connection with United.