Manchester United travel to Bergamo to face Atalanta knowing a win will strengthen their spot on top of Group F in the Champions League. Atalanta will do everything to spoil the party and climb to the first place for themselves with all three points.
ATA vs MUN Match Details :
When: November 2nd, Tuesday / November 3rd, Wednesday
Timings: 21:00 (CET), 01:30 (IST)
Where: Gewiss Stadium, Bergamo
ATA vs MUN Match Preview :
Manchester United showed the other side of their coin by defeating Spurs 3-0 in the weekend leading to the sacking of host's manager, Nuno Espirito in a game that was the center of discussion of his counterpart instead. For Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, it was the first of a series of games he needed to draw out results to maintain his seat following the 5-0 defeat to Liverpool threatening his position. The outing at Tottenham stadium went fine for him with his three man backline keeping only their second clean sheet of the season and forwards firing timely. The scorers being Cristiano Ronaldo, Edinson Cavani & Marcus Rashford. Although the victory doesn't clear out the flaws in the team, it was a much needed one in such a pressurized situation. Focus now turn on to Europe where fans urge a need for stability for sure but in a result oriented competition like Champions League, it can be achieved in any ways. Be it comebacks like the last two games in the contest. However, this is something should not be associated with a club like Manchester United.
Atalanta are not facing a crisis like the Red Devils although they are lacking consistency in this campaign. They currently sit in the fifth place with 19 points, same as Roma on 4th, in Serie A standings after eleven games. The position is not a disastrous considering they are capable enough to be in the top four and so lot to play but it shows that they haven't started the season as expected. One thing that costed them is the amount of draws accumulated, only Genoa and Udinese (both 5) has drawn more than La Dea (4). In Champions League too, this tight group, containing Villarreal and Young Boys the other opponents, has provided good contest for them with only a win against the Swiss champs to be mouthful about. Entertaining draw against Villarreal and being on the wrong end of a thrilling comeback against Manchester United in the other fixture put them on third in Group F with four points on the board. So both sides will be gunning for the all important victory that will get either of them nearer to the qualification to the round of 16 stage as group winners.
Recent Form (all competitions) :
Atalanta: DWDLW
Man United: WLWLD
ATA vs MUN Team News :
Gian Piero Gasperini's side still cannot recall Berat Djimsiti, Robin Gosens, Rafael Toloi, Mateo Pessina and Hans Hateboer to the squad for the European fixture as they battle with their injuries. Jose Palomino is a doubt with a thigh problem. Hence, Atalanta are expected to stick with their three-man defense causing Marten De Roon to drop back in the center-back role once again. Matteo Lovato is also set to cover for those injuries in the defense.
For Manchester United, they have almost a fully fit squad travelling to Bergamo. Solskjaer intends to stick to the same starting eleven and formation that see off a fragile Tottenham Hotspurs in the weekend once again for the clash in a difficult time for him to keep his job. Paul Pogba is available for selection as his suspension is only viable domestically but it is left to see whether he pushes for a chance to begin the game after being restricted to substitute appearances lately.
ATA vs MUN Predicted Lineups :
Atalanta: Juan Musso; Matteo Lovato, Merih Demiral, De Roon, Davide Zappacosta, Remo Freuler, Teun Koopmeiners, Joakim Maehle, Josip Ilicic, Duvan Zapata, Mario Pasalic
Man United: De Gea; Victor Lindelof, Raphael Varane, Harry Maguire, Wan-Bissaka, Bruno Fernandes, Scott McTominay, Fred, Luke Shaw, Cristiano Ronaldo, Marcus Rashford
GK: De Gea (MUN)
DEF: Shaw (MUN), Varane (MUN), Demiral (ATA), Zappacosta (ATA)
MID: De Roon (ATA), Rashford (MUN), Fernandes (MUN), Pasalic (ATA)
FW: Ronaldo (MUN), Zapata (ATA)
