Cristiano Ronaldo provides injury update ahead of Man Utd's clash against Aston Villa
Cristiano Ronaldo missed Manchester United's FA Cup Third Round win against Aston Villa through a minor hip injury but hopes to return when the two teams meet in the Premier League on Saturday
Nathan Ridley
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Cristiano Ronaldo says he is "confident" of being fit for Manchester United 's clash with Aston Villa.
The two teams first met in the FA Cup Third Round on Monday, with the 36-year-old missing the fixture through a minor hip injury.
After the Red Devils scraped through with a 1-0 win, interim manager Ralf Rangnick is hoping to have Ronaldo available this Saturday and the five-time Ballon d'Or winner planned to take part in full training on Thursday.
"I hope so," Ronaldo told Premier League Productions when asked if he would be fit for the trip to Villa Park in the Premier League.
"Let's see how the body reacts. Fingers crossed. I'm confident."
On the issue itself, the ex- Real Madrid and Juventus star added: "I'm good. I just have a little touch but, you know, it's part of my work.
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Ronaldo has been nursing a hip injury (Image: REUTERS)
"You know, we have to feel some pain sometimes. It's nothing big and I hope to be good soon," Ronaldo affirmed.
"I know my body. One hundred per cent. I'm mature and experience gives you the possibility for you to understand your mind, your body and everything around football."
The forward continued: "I'm a different person, a different player [to my younger self] but the ambition is still the same. I want to play and help the team."
Ronaldo's admission follows comments which made clear his desire for United to change their mentality and avoid the 'unacceptable' - but likely - situation of not competing for the top three places in the Premier League.
"Manchester United should win the league or be second or third," he told Sky Sports.
"I don't see other positions for Manchester United to be honest, I don't see. In my eyes, I don't accept that our mentality be less than to be in the top three.
"We are capable to change things now. I don't know the specific way I'm a player, not the coach, the president, I know the way but I'm not going to mention it here because I think it's not ethic [sic] from my part to say that.
Ronaldo still thinks Man Utd can "achieve big things"
"What I can say and something I can say we are in control, we can do it better, all of us. Manchester belongs in important things, we have to change that.
"I don't want to be here in a club to fight to be in sixth or seventh or fifth place, I'm here to try to win, to compete. I think we compete but we are not yet at our best level.
"[There is a] long way to improve and I believe if we change our mind, we can achieve big things."