If you’re tuning in to the Champions League group stages on Paramount+ for drama you have certainly got more than your fair share if you have been following Manchester United. They could have had nine points or just as feasibly none at the halfway mark of Group F.
As is they have six to their name following comeback wins over Villarreal and Atalanta. Their destiny is firmly in their hands but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be hoping for a rather more serene outcome in Bergamo as he battles to prove his worth over the long term. Here is how you can watch the match and what you need to know:
Viewing information
- Date: Tuesday, Nov. 2 | Time: 4 p.m. ET
- Location: Stadio di Bergamo — Bergamo, Italy
- TV and live stream: Paramount+
- Odds: Atalanta +170; Draw +275; Man United +145 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Featured Game | Atalanta vs. Manchester United
Storylines
Atalanta: “Important but not decisive” was how Gianpiero Gasperini described his side’s meeting with United as he targets six points from Atalanta’s next three games. Their injury crisis is not quite as pronounced this week as it was at half time in the previous fixture with Merih Demiral recovered from injury but Berat Djimsiti and Rafael Toloi will be unavailable in Bergamo.
“When we met Liverpool and [Manchester] City [in their last two Champions League campaigns], they were at their peak,” said Gasperini. “They were organized, solid and with a clear identity. To me, United looks like a team under construction. However, they have great potential, they haven’t been consistent, but they are still a very strong team.”
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Manchester United: Solskjaer looked to have found a system that he was happy with in Saturday’s 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur but how much was reflective of Spurs’ woefulness may only become clear with a few more games on the rearview mirror. Whether the 3-4-1-2 will remain with Victor Lindelof having not made the trip to Italy is perhaps less clear with the manager himself playing down the suggestion he might continue with this approach.
Prediction
Atalanta know what style they want to employ even if they are struggling to do so on a consistent basis. United don’t have much of an idea of where they’re heading. That will cost them eventually. PICK: Atalanta 2 Manchester United 1
