Ronaldo again rides to Man Utd's Champions League rescue

 

Image Credit: Soccer Laduma

MANCHESTER: Manchester United needed another Champions League fightback finished off by Cristiano Ronaldo as they came from two goals down to beat Atalanta 3-2 at Old Trafford on Wednesday (Oct 20).

Goals from Mario Pasalic and Merih Demiral had Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men on course for a fifth defeat in eight games.

However, United's attacking arsenal blew the Italians away after the break as Marcus Rashford and Harry Maguire drew them level before Ronaldo powered home a header nine minutes from time.

"We have a habit of doing this at this club," said Solskjaer, who famously completed a late comeback to win the Champions League as a player in 1999.

"I thought in the first half we played some good stuff, created chances, we just couldn't take them. The difference was the quality of finishing was much better in the second half."

Ronaldo also scored a 96th-minute winner against Villarreal in United's previous Champions League game to mask an otherwise unconvincing performance.

Questions will continue to be asked of Solskjaer's ability to get the best out of such a richly talented squad.

But a much-needed win to move to the top of Group F eases the mounting pressure on the Norwegian.

"Don't disrespect the players," added Solskjaer when asked if the players were playing for him. "They played for Man Utd. They are the luckiest men in the world because they are the ones that can play for Man Utd."