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

(Getty Images)

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 18:44 · Michael Jones]

Group F standings

Man Utd head into the game sitting third in the group. They’ve had two entertaining encounters so far in the Champions League, losing to Young Boys on Matchday 1 thanks to a 95th minute winner from Theoson Siebatcheu before defeating Villarreal with a 95th minute winner of their own last time out.

Atalanta top Group F after two games. On Matchday 1 they drew 2-2 with Villarreal after Robin Gosens scored in the 83rd minute to secure a point. Last time out the Italian side picked up three points with a 1-0 victory over Young Boys to put them at the top of the group.

[20 October 2021 18:36 · Michael Jones]

Early team news - Man Utd vs Atalanta

Raphael Varane and Anthony Martial are absent for Man Utd due to injury but Edinson Cavani and Fred could return after missing the defeat to Leicester City at the weekend.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka is also available again after serving a one-match ban.

[20 October 2021 17:06 · Karl Matchett]

Manchester United vs Atalanta live updates

Welcome to the Independent’s live coverage of the Champions League group stage clash between Manchester United and Atalanta.

The Old Trafford side are hoping to bounce back to form after their weekend humbling by Leicester City - and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has work to do to continue to show he’s the right man for the job with the Red Devils. Questions are again being asked of him after a string of poor performances, which include the last European outing against Villarreal - though they did snatch a late win there, at least. That leaves United second in the group, a point behind leaders Atalanta and level with Young Boys - while Villarreal are bottom with just the one point.

Atalanta, meanwhile, continue to impress despite not being filled with household names and have punched above their weight in Italy for some time. Victory at Old Trafford is a tall order, but they are to be respected after some great showings in Europe over the last couple of years.