Champions League table toppers Atalanta visit Old Trafford in a bid to maintain their undefeated run in the group stages so far after two matchdays.
This will be the first meeting between Manchester United and Atalanta in any competition and the English side’s seventh different Italian opponent (after having faced Fiorentina, Inter, Juventus, Roma, Milan and Lazio).
Preview
The Red Devils will enter the clash looking to bounce back from a string of disappointing results, having been recently dealt with successive blows in the Premier League and also being knocked out of the EFL Cup at the hands of West Ham United.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s last minute winner against Villareal helped the club grab all three points – their only win of the Champions League season so far, after losing to Young Boys on the opening matchday. They will look to continue their positive record of six victories in seven home games against Italian sides in the continental tournament.
La Dea are unbeaten in the Champion League but the same cannot be said of their Serie A form as they sit sixth in league standings. However, Atalanta’s last outing was a 4-1 win over minnows Empoli and they will be looking to continue their momentum into this match.
Another fact that will push the Bergamo club to excel at Old Trafford is their decent record of three wins in six meetings against English opponents (W3, D1, L2).
Previous Results
Manchester United – L, L, W, D, L
Atalanta – W, D, W, L, W
Expected Lineups and Team News
Manchester United
Anthony Martial, Amad Diallo and Raphael Varane are the three absentees through injury. Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s two-match suspension for his red card against Young Boys was reduced to a single game and he is expected to start ahead of Diogo Dalot. Fred and Edison Cavani are also expected to feature, although they will start as susbstitutes.
4-2-3-1 – De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw; McTominay, Pogba; Greenwood, Fernandes, Rashford; Ronaldo
Atalanta
Matteo Pessina, Berat Djimsiti, Hans Hateboer and Robin Gosens will be absent for the game through injury and the absence of the latter two shall prompt Gian Piero Gasperini to utilize Joakim Maehle and Davide Zappacosta on the wings.
3-4-2-1 – Musso; Palomino, Demiral, Toloi; Zappacosta, Freuler, De Roon, Maehle; Malinovskyi, Ilicic; Zapata
Prediction: Manchester United 1-1 Atalanta
With both teams going through ups and downs so early in the season, it is tough to predict a certain winner. Backed by the lively Old Trafford, Manchester United are expected to hold off the Italians in a low-scoring draw.