Champions League
2021-10-20 - Manchester United vs Atalanta
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: European Champions League Group Stage
Wednesday 20th October 2021 - Kick Off 8pm
This game is live on TV
Manchester United
In normal circumstances you would feel a return home is the perfect chance for a team to just reset after a really poor result and performance. However, Manchester United have tended to be a stronger team away from Old Trafford in the almost three years Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has managed the club and the next two games are very, very tough to negotiate.
First up is a Champions League game as Manchester United try and move into the top two in the Group- failing to Qualify from this section would be a huge underachievement, but after two games, Manchester United have 3 points and are behind Atalanta and Young Boys. The side have lost 7 of their 12 Champions League games played under this manager, but the late winner over Villarreal means Manchester United have won 3 of their last 4 Champions League games here.
Manchester United were hammered 4-2 at Leicester City on Saturday and they have now won 2 of their last 7 games in all competitions. More worrying is the fact they have lost 4 of those fixtures including at the King Power Stadium a few days ago. Manchester United have won 1 of their last 4 games at Old Trafford in all competitions, while they have lost twice in that run.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka is available after UEFA reduced his suspension to a single game which was served against Villarreal last month. Harry Maguire may not be risked after a horrific performance at his former club, while Fred and Edinson Cavani should be available after late returns from international duty.
Atalanta
Over the last three seasons Atalanta have improved to become one of the more prominent teams in Italy and they have kept the momentum going by reaching the Champions League Knock Out Rounds in back to back campaigns. Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain have ended their runs, but Atalanta will feel they have the experience and the quality to get out of this section after the start made.
Second half goals have been key for Atalanta and helped them produce 4 points in this Group which means they are a point clear of both Young Boys and Manchester United. The side have lost 1 of their last 7 away Champions League games and Atalanta had won their last 4 away Champions League Group fixtures before the 2-2 draw with Villarreal on Match Day 1.
Atalanta have lost 1 of their last 7 games in all competitions and they are heading into this fixture having thumped Empoli 1-4 away from home this past weekend. They are unbeaten in 11 away games in all competitions since the 3-1 loss at Real Madrid in the Champions League Last 16 Second Leg in March.
Hans Hateboer, Robin Gosens, Matteo Pessina and Berat Djimsiti are all expected to miss out.
Head to Head
This is the first time these clubs have met in a competitive fixture.
Over the last two seasons, Atalanta have lost at Manchester City (5-1) and won at Liverpool (0-2) in the Champions League Group Stage.
Last season Manchester United drew with Milan and beat Roma in games at Old Trafford in the Europa League Knock Out Rounds.
Prediction
The pressure has ramped up considerably on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after yet another lacklustre Manchester United performance and he needs a big reaction from his players this week.
A shockingly bad defeat at Young Boys in the Champions League Group Stage means there is work for Manchester United to do if they are going to avoid a second straight exit in the Group Stage of this competition. A late winner over Villarreal has got them out of jail, but Manchester United have a big game with Atalanta this week before facing Liverpool in the Champions League and the manager can ill-afford two bad defeats.
Manchester United have the attacking talent to put Atalanta under considerable pressure in this one, but much will depend on how much the players still believe in their manager. They are facing an opponent that have been very dangerous away from home with the counter attacking and pacy attacks causing problems, but teams have created a lot of chances against Atalanta and that has to be encouraging for the home team.
However, Atalanta are not nearly as wasteful as Villarreal can be and they will be exploiting the gaps that the Spanish side failed to take advantage of last month. They have been involved in high-scoring away draws at Villarreal and both Inter and AC Milan in the League and there is no doubt that Atalanta will feel positive about their chances here.
The chances that the likes of Aston Villa, Villarreal and Everton have created in recent Old Trafford games is a massive problem for Manchester United. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer cannot really risk playing Harry Maguire again after the performance at the King Power Stadium, but the manager is struggling with the balance and I do feel the players may have turned on him.
It is always the beginning of the end when that happens and this Atalanta team are being massively under-rated in my opinion. They will be very good going forward and they can hurt Manchester United, while Atalanta won at Anfield last year in the Group Stage to show they won't be intimidated by the atmosphere here.
I hate to say it, but Atalanta look capable with a start on the Asian Handicap.
The Statistics :
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Pick :
Manchester United 2-2 Atalanta
