Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer praised the mentality of Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes ahead of the Champions League clash against Atalanta.
The Red Devils recently ended a four-match winless streak in the Premier League with a comfortable 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur.
Ronaldo was the pick of the players with a goal and an assist, but Fernandes also played a crucial role with an assist and a key interception.
Fernandes provided a delightful cross-field pass for Ronaldo’s stellar volley to open the scoring before the half-time break.
He also played a crucial part in the second goal scored by Edinson Cavani, dispossessing Oliver Skipp in the centre of the park.
Fernandes delivered a pass for Ronaldo on the counter-attack. The 36-year-old showed terrific composure before his through ball for Cavani.
Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s game against Atalanta, Solskjaer was delighted with the duo’s involvement at the weekend and talked about their mentality on the pitch.
He said via Manchester Evening News: “No matter what game Cristiano or Bruno is playing, they are as motivated as anyone can be.”
United suffered an embarrassing 5-0 league defeat to Liverpool last month, but they managed to provide a strong response against Spurs.
The onus now remains on finding consistency with regular wins, but they can anticipate another tough challenge against Atalanta tomorrow.
The Serie A outfit were the better side in the opening half at Old Trafford last month. They were 2-0 up at the half-time interval.
United came back to secure a dramatic 3-2 win, but Atalanta were without Merih Demiral, who was substituted at the break with a muscle injury.
The centre-back’s removal changed the complexion of the game to a great extent. Demiral is expected to feature against United on Tuesday.
The much-changed 3-4-1-2 set-up saw United control proceedings against Spurs, and Solskjaer may stick with the same formation.
Ronaldo has played a crucial role for United in the last two European outings with late winners, and the Portuguese could have a big say in tomorrow’s encounter.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com.
Read: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer picks his man of the match after Manchester United’s win at Tottenham Hotspur.
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