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Manchester United will look to return to winning ways when they host Atalanta on the third matchday of the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday. While the Red Devils have picked up three points from their first two Group F fixtures, Atalanta have bagged four.
Manchester United's defeat to Young Boys in their UEFA Champions League opener is still a sore spot and they cannot afford any more slip-ups. A win for either will propel them to the top of the table, which should make for an interesting duel.
Today, we will take the teams’ form, injury history, and playing style into account and try to foretell how the encounter might go.
Here are the top five predictions for the high-profile UEFA Champions League clash between Manchester United and Atalanta.
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#5 Manchester United could field a top-heavy lineup
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United kicked off the 2021-22 Premier League campaign in fine fashion. They played impressive football and were deservedly put down as one of the top contenders for the title this season. The arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo only bolstered their claim, but the Red Devils have not quite managed to keep the celebration going.
Manchester United have picked up only a single point in their last three Premier League fixtures, with their latest defeat coming on Saturday. Solskjaer’s overly defensive approach at the King Power Stadium allowed Leicester City to force their case and walk away with a dramatic 4-2 win.
With pressure mounting, the Manchester United boss cannot afford to make the same mistake twice, especially in a UEFA Champions League fixture at Old Trafford.
Edinson Cavani should be fit to start against Atalanta and could partner Cristiano Ronaldo up top in the UEFA Champions League Group F clash. While Mason Greenwood and Marcus Rashford could provide width, Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes will pull strings from the middle of the park.
A flamboyant display is what Manchester United need and an attack-minded XI should grant them the firepower to put on a show for their fans.
#4 Atalanta to take a proactive approach at Old Trafford
While Manchester United have struggled to stay relevant in the Premier League, Atalanta have been doing quite well for themselves in Serie A. They have not lost the flair they are famous for and have been scoring without a breather.
Atalanta secured an emphatic 4-1 win away at Empoli last weekend, extending their unbeaten away game run to 11. Josip Ilicic was the star of the show for Atalanta, scoring a brace in 15 minutes to practically steal the game away from Empoli.
Atalanta have not played Manchester United before, but the Italian outfit are unlikely to be ruffled by the English club in the UEFA Champions League. As always, they are going to go all out in search of a goal and make life difficult for the hosts.
#3 Manchester United's backline to struggle without Raphael Varane
Manchester United have won one and lost their other match in the UEFA Champions League this season. A win against Atalanta is crucial, as it would allow them some momentum going into the second phase of the group stage fixtures.
Unfortunately, Manchester United will be without the expertise of four-time UEFA Champions League winner Raphael Varane on Wednesday night and might struggle heavily without the Frenchman.
The Manchester United centre-back has not recovered from the groin injury he suffered in the UEFA Nations League final against Spain and will miss the Atalanta clash. Victor Lindelof is set to come in for Varane, hoping to bring stability to the Red Devils' backline.
His potential partner Harry Maguire cut a frustrating figure in the defeat at Leicester City and might be lacking the confidence to take on Atalanta. Manchester United will need something special to keep out the Italian outfit and we are not sure if they can manage it without Raphael Varane.
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo to open the scoring for Manchester United
Cristiano Ronaldo was the star of the show in Manchester United’s last UEFA Champions League outing. Against a familiar opponent, Villarreal, the former Real Madrid man struck in stoppage-time to book Manchester United’s first UEFA Champions League win in 2021-22.
The 36-year-old Portugal captain could not produce the goods in the Premier League at Leicester City, but he could prove to be decisive against Atalanta.
Atalanta have a habit of leaving pockets of space in the back, which could allow Ronaldo to slide into them at will. His pace could also help during transitions and allow Manchester United to convert from the counter-attack.
Cristiano Ronaldo will be the focal point of Red Devils' attack against Atalanta and we expect him to make himself useful early in the game.
#1 Manchester United to edge out Atalanta in a closely-contested affair
Manchester United are yet to find their bearings while Atalanta are beaming with confidence following an impressive win in Serie A. Yet, for Wednesday’s clash, we cannot help but back the Red Devils. Manchester United have always responded when their backs are up against the wall and we expect something similar in the UEFA Champions League this week.
Table-toppers Atalanta could very well turn the tables and bag maximum points from their trip to Old Trafford, but it will not be straightforward. United have too much quality to crash out of the group stage of the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League. We expect them to start turning their fortunes around from the third matchday itself.
