Cristiano Ronaldo came to the rescue once again for Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League after netting late to rescue a point.
UEFA Champions League
Result: Atalanta 2-2 Manchester United
Date: 02 November 2021
Venue: Gewiss Stadium
Man United made three changes from a thumping win over Tottenham Hotspur, as Paul Pogba, who missed that game through suspension replaced Fred, Marcus Rashford started ahead of Edinson Cavani and Eric Bailly replaced the injured Victor Lindelof.
The Red Devils almost had as Scott McTominay had a deflected shot inside the box in the fifth minute that wrong-footed shot-stopper Juan Musso but came off the bottom post.
The game opened up and Josip Ilicic gave Atalanta the lead in the 12th minute with a strike in the centre of the box that slipped under the body of goalkeeper David de Gea after he was teed up by Duvan Zapata inside the box.
Pogba nearly made a costly error for United on the half-hour mark after losing the ball trying to play from the back inside the box, with Zapata clear on goal but Bailly made a last-ditch tackle to keep the visitors in the game.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was forced to make a change seven minutes before the half-time break after defender Rachael Varane went down injured and he was replaced by attacker Mason Greenwood.
The Red Devils gained momentum after that and Ronaldo levelled matters on the stroke of half-time with a smashing strike unmarked inside the box after he was setup by Bruno Fernandes.
The early exchanges of the second stanza continued to produce fireworks and Zapata restored the lead for Gian Piero Gasperini's charges just before the hour-mark with close range finish after a through ball cut open United's defence.
Solskjaer made a double change 22 minutes before time, as Nemanja Matic replaced Pogba for fresh legs in midfield and Cavani came on for Rashford for the same reason upfront.
Gasperini's men were stifling United in the closing stages, pressing them high, denying them time and space on the ball, however, Ronaldo smashed home the equaliser for United in stoppage time with a low volley inside the box.
Donny van de Beek nearly snatched the winner but was denied by Musso, as the English giants remained at the top of the section, equal on points with Villarreal but having a better head-to-head record.
Here are the highest-paid players in the Champions League this season:
