Rio Ferdinand sends message to Cristiano Ronaldo over Man Utd touchline antics

Cristiano Ronaldo should have been told to "sit down" when he started shouting instructions from the technical area in Manchester United's defeat by Young Boys.

That is the verdict of Ronaldo's former teammate Rio Ferdinand after the superstar forward took up a spot alongside Ole Gunnar Solskjaer following his substitution.

The 36-year-old opened the scoring in the Champions League Group F clash but Young Boys produced a stunning comeback after Aaron Wan-Bissaka was sent off in the first half.

The Swiss club equalised in the 66th minute and Theoson Siebatcheu pounced on Jesse Lingard's underhit back-pass to score deep into added time.

Cristiano Ronaldo began to instruct his teammates from the touchline after he was taken off ( Image:

Kieran McManus/REX/Shutterstock)

Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes were taken off in the 72nd minute in a decision roundly criticised by fans who accused Solskjaer of settling for a draw in Bern.

The Portuguese duo did not take up their seats on the substitutes' bench, however, instead standing by Solskjaer in the technical area to instruct their teammates.

Ferdinand took issue with this after the match and told BT Sport : "If I'm the manager, I've got to be honest, I'm telling him to sit down."

Peter Crouch echoed the United legend's comments, saying: "If I'm sitting on the bench as well I'm telling him to sit down. But he is Cristiano, we'll let him do it."

Ferdinand then seemed to revise his opinion and added: "I get it. You know, with Cristiano people go, 'Oh it's bravado, it's for the fans'. He's just a passionate guy. He wants to win, he's desperate to win, and he can't hold it in.

"If that means he has to go up there and stand next to the manager, shouting instructions etcetera, so be it.

Should Cristiano Ronaldo "sit down" or continue to bark instructions from the technical area? Comment below.

"When it's someone of his standing and stature in the game how can you argue with it?"

Ronaldo famously took matters into his hands during Portugal's triumph in the Euro 2016 final, when his animated touchline instructions helped inspire his nation to victory over France after he was taken off injured.

He was unable to recreate his heroics for 10-man United on Tuesday night and he will be distraught to lose his first Champions League game since returning to the Red Devils this summer.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner took to Instagram after the match to write: "Wasn't the result we wanted, but now it's time to recover well and focus on the next game!"

Despite the result, Ronaldo's first-half strike took his tally to three goals in two games, adding to his double in Saturday's 4-1 victory over Newcastle United.

Solskjaer explained the decision to take him and Fernandes off by saying "they had been running a lot on Saturday and today".