Atalanta vs Manchester United Odds, Preview & Best Bet – Champions League Group Stage Matchday 4
- Atalanta host Manchester United in the 4th Matchday of the Champions League on Tuesday, November 2nd, at 4:00 pm EST
- Manchester United are atop Group F on six points while Atalanta sit in third place on four points, trailing Villarreal on goal difference
- Get the odds, our analysis and betting prediction below
The Champions League resumes this week as Atalanta takes on Manchester United in the fourth round of Group F competition. This match is a replay of the last round of Champions League play for these two sides, which took place at Old Trafford.
Manchester United were able to erase a 2-0 deficit in that game to come back and win by a score of 3-2. The inevitable goal from Cristiano Ronaldo won it for Manchester United in the 81st minute of regular time, following two more second-half goals from Harry Maguire and Marcus Rashford.
While it seems like Manchester United’s group to lose at the moment, a loss in their first game to Young Boys and two come from behind victories tells the real story. Group F is wide open for the taking. In fact, assuming Villarreal can pick up three points against Young Boys, the order of this group could shift completely come Tuesday night.
Atalanta vs Manchester United Odds
| Matchup | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atalanta vs Manchester United | ATA +0.5 (-165) | MUN -0.5 (-145) | ATA +175 | MUN +140 | DRAW +280 | Ov 3.5 (+125) | Un 3.5 (-155) |
Odds as of Oct 31st at DraftKings
Manchester United’s Tumultuous Play
Since the Champions League uses a snake format in the group stage, this match is a replay from just over a week and a half ago. Since then, Manchester United have experienced devastating lows and scintillating highs.
In their first post-Atalanta match, the Red Devils were embarrassed at home against their biggest rivals, Liverpool. The Reds from Merseyside won 5-0 while Mo Salah grabbed a hat-trick, the first player to do so at Old Trafford since Ronaldo Nazario.
The uneasiness of the defeat was enough for fans to walk out and Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s future at the club to be questioned. As a result, Sir Alex Ferguson even had to make a visit to Manchester United’s training ground to chat to Solskjær and Ronaldo.
"I'm fed up with this chat after games." 😡
Roy Keane was not happy with the performances from the Manchester United players and their reactions following the defeat to Liverpool pic.twitter.com/ZquHopS2uc
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 30, 2021
Despite this, Manchester United responded this past weekend with a triumphant victory in North London over Tottenham. Ronaldo, Edinson Cavani and Rashford all got their names on the scoresheet in what was a dominating display of force. But, the question still needs to be asked, are Manchester United really ready for another Champions League fixture?
The First Half Is Imperative for Atalanta
Regardless, the key to really breaking down this Manchester United side is to be aggressive early. Atalanta was witness to this in the reverse fixture when they were able to score two goals inside of 30 minutes. Also, Liverpool got four of their five goals in the first half against Manchester United.
Solskjær’s side rarely starts off a game up to pace, which is something Gian Piero Gasperini needs to keep in mind when setting up his tactics. If they fail to do so they run the risk of losing outright, as Manchester United have scored five of their six Champions League goals in the second half.
Atalanta vs Manchester United Champions League Statistics
| 1.7 | Goals per game | 2.0 |
| 1.7 | Goals conceded per game | 1.67 |
| 53.4% | Possession % | 52.6% |
| 82.3% | Passing Accuracy % | 85.1% |
| 13.0 | Shots per game | 12.7 |
Furthermore, Atalanta’s attack with the likes of Duvan Zapata, Ruslan Malinovskyi and Josip Illcic is one that can seriously threaten the opposition’s backline. If they can separate the likes of Raphael Varane and Maguire in hopes of forcing individual errors, they give themselves a great chance at three points.
The X-Factor of Having Ronaldo
Finally, one thing that needs to be accounted for is the ability of Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese forward has a wonderful affinity with the Champions League. He is built for moments like these when an entire club and fanbase is resting on his shoulders. Simply put, he is a game-changer.
Heading rating: ____/💯
🔴 Cristiano Ronaldo AGAIN at Old Trafford ⚽️@Cristiano | @ManUtd | #UCL pic.twitter.com/UVrsBX48Cb
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 23, 2021
In fact, the 36-year-old already has three goals in three games since returning to Old Trafford. The goals just seem to find him as of late, which is a scary notion for Atalanta. Gasperini’s side is known for having a leaky defense, a trait that does not help them in a game like this.
Atalanta vs Manchester United Best Bet
Overall, the best bet for this match is the Over on 3.5 total goals with odds of +125. These odds have great value, and Manchester United’s form is too volatile to currently predict. However, we do know that Atalanta and Ronaldo love to score goals, which is something we should be able to count on.
Pick: Over 3.5 total goals (+125)
Josh Ricker is a freelance sports journalist, currently attending the University of Southern Maine (Bachelor of Science in Sports Management and Marketing). He has recently interned with the AA Portland Sea Dogs, and his work has been featured on Fansided, as well as now here on SBD.
