Manchester United vs Atalanta LIVE: Champions League result, final score and reaction tonight

Follow live updates from Old Trafford as Cristiano Ronaldo and co. look to bounce back from defeat at Leicester last weekend

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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will doubtless Manchester United’s comeback down to the spirit and soul of the club, and it is true to say that this 3-2 win over Atalanta again showed that this team are at the very least playing for their manager. Cristiano Ronaldo offered yet another late match-winning moment, on another raucous European night.

It was just that this victory was as much down to the willingness of a depleted Atalanta side to persevere with their approach to the point that risk became recklessness. Gian Piero Gasperini’s one-on-one approach gave United countless opportunities, that they were eventually going to take up.

Another truth is that, as bad as this game was at half-time, United probably should have won about 8-2 rather than 3-2 by virtue of the chances created. They missed so many.

Or perhaps that should be 8-3, since David De Gea made yet another crucial and brilliant save from Duvan Zapata with the score at 2-2.

It felt so significant in the very moment of the stop, especially since it had such echoes of what happened against Villarreal - right down to what eventually happened. But that is why, even allowing for the fact United are now top of the group and surely en route for the last 16, it feels wrong to talk about this as any kind of turning point.

Manchester United vs Atalanta

• 8pm kick-off
• Man Utd XI: De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw; McTominay, Fred; Greenwood, Fernandes, Rashford; Ronaldo
• Atalanta XI: Musso; Zappacosta, Palomino, Demiral, Maehle; Freuler, De Roon, Pasalic; Ilicic, Koopmeiners; Muriel
• Pasalic puts Serie A side ahead from close range
• Demiral heads home second before the half-hour mark
• Rashford pulls one back for United early in second half
• Maguire volleys in equaliser with 15’ to play
• Cristiano Ronaldo thumps in header minutes later

[20 October 2021 21:54 · Michael Jones]

Full-time: Man Utd 3 - 2 Atalanta

90+4 mins: Atalanta get a last chance to equalise. They run a free kick into the box but Ronaldo clears the lines. The ball comes back to Zappacosta who shoots but pulls the shot wide of David De Gea’s goal.

The full time whistle goes and Manchester United have done it!

Paul Pogba punches the air, Cristiano Ronaldo lets out a big roar and sinks to his knees.

A brilliant European night for Manchester United.

[20 October 2021 21:51 · Michael Jones]

Man Utd 3 - 2 Atalanta

90+2 mins: Palomino clatters into Shaw and Man Utd win a free kick just inside Atalanta’s half. Matic is booked for time-wasting and Maguire eventually punts the free kick up to Ronaldo who tries to keep it in the corner.

[20 October 2021 21:49 · Michael Jones]

Man Utd 3 - 2 Atalanta

90 mins: Four minutes of added time to play. The announcement is met by a groan and a chorus of boos from the Man Utd fans. Ronaldo wins a free kick from nothing in his half own.

[20 October 2021 21:46 · Michael Jones]

Man Utd 3 - 2 Atalanta

88 mins: Cavani is back to do his defensive duties against Maehle who manages to win a corner for the visitors. Fred goes down with a pulled hamstring.

He’s replaced with Matic before the corner is taken and the substitute gets to the set piece to head it behind.

[20 October 2021 21:44 · Michael Jones]

Man Utd 3 - 2 Atalanta

86 mins: United knock the corner ball short to Fernandes who attempts to cross the ball with the outside of his right foot but Atalanta clear their lines.

Game management is crucial now, can United hold on to this lead?

[20 October 2021 21:43 · Michael Jones]

Man Utd 3 - 2 Atalanta

84 mins: Nemanja Matic is getting ready to come on. Manchester United have made an incredible comeback in this half. Sancho plays Wan-Bissaka into the right side of the box and the right-back wins another corner.

[20 October 2021 21:39 · Michael Jones]

GOAL! Man Utd 3 - 2 Atalanta (Ronaldo, 81’)⚽️

81 mins: RONALDO! Manchester United maintain the pressure after they have a corner cleared. The ball comes out to Shaw who curls it back into the middle of the box. Ronaldo runs at the ball, jumps in front of Palomino and heads the ball into the bottom corner. United are in front! What a game!

[20 October 2021 21:38 · Michael Jones]

Man Utd 2 - 2 Atalanta

80 mins: Save! United are in again! Shaw finds Ronaldo who slots it into the box for Fernandes. He cuts onto his left foot and hits it at goal but Musso comes out and palms it away with his right hand!

[20 October 2021 21:37 · Michael Jones]

Man Utd 2 - 2 Atalanta

78 mins: The game is very much on now. There’s less than 15 minutes to play, can one of these teams go on to find a winner? Atalanta aren’t sitting back, they’re flying forward when they can and whipping crosses into the box. It doesn’t feel like this game is done yet.

Koopmeiners hits one from range and pulls it wide of the far post for Atalanta.

[20 October 2021 21:33 · Michael Jones]

GOAL! Man Utd 2 - 2 Atalanta (Maguire, 75’)⚽️

75 mins: United are level! Harry Maguire stays up the pitch after the corner as the ball comes out ot Sancho on the right wing. He takes it up to the right side of the box and swings in a cross. Cavani must have heard a call as he ducks under the pass allowing it to drop to Maguire at the back post. He brings it under control and pokes it into the back of the net with his right foot!