Cristiano Ronaldo phenomenal in saving Man Utd again but result papers over the cracks, says Paul Merson
Paul Merson praised Cristiano Ronaldo's "exceptional" equalizer against Atalanta as "probably the best completion ever" however demanded the 2-2 draw simply covers up the faults for Manchester United.
Ronaldo, who had prior polished off a streaming group move to offset Josip Ilicic's opener, saved a point for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side with a staggering volley in the second moment of stoppage time after Duvan Zapata had returned Atalanta to front.
Ronaldo's most recent heroics come only fourteen days after he scored the champ in the opposite apparatus against Atalanta at Old Trafford and his twofold takes him to nine objectives in 11 appearances this season following his negative mark against Tottenham on Saturday.
His electrifying second objective, smashed home from the edge of the Atalanta box, made the 36-year-old the most seasoned player in Manchester United's set of experiences to score twice in a solitary European game, and Merson feels there is something else to come from him.
"It must be perhaps the best completion ever; it's barely out of literally nothing," Merson said of his late leveler on Soccer Special.
"He didn't contact the ball in the subsequent half. Not through his shortcoming, he simply didn't get the help. However, it comes to him and there's no grabbing at it, he hits through the ball impeccably.
"It's totally remarkable and his first objective was splendid also.
"I was one of the huge pundits. I was one who wasn't certain with regards to him returning. Be that as it may, on the off chance that you allow him opportunities, he will score objectives. 36 or 46, it doesn't have any effect, he will wrap up.
"If you removed his two objectives this evening, he's a two out of 10. However, his two objectives are exceptional and I'm lost for words."
The draw puts United top of Group F, above second-put Villarreal in front of their excursion to confront the Spanish outfit in the not so distant future, however Solskjaer's side were indeed poor for significant stretches of the game.
Saturday's 3-0 success over Tottenham had facilitated the strain on the chief's shoulders yet their disconnected presentation in Bergamo brings up natural issues of the man in the hole - regardless of Ronaldo' late objective supporting their expectations of arriving at the last-16.
"It's one more Polyfilla one, it's simply covering over the breaks, yet it's an outcome," added Merson. "They have an attract and they will qualify.
"If they had lost, and they had proceeded to get beat by Villarreal, they were for all intents and purposes out of the opposition. Presently you would anticipate that they should qualify.
"However long you have Ronaldo on the pitch, you have a possibility. They hadn't appeared as though scoring in a super long time and afterward he proceeds to do what he's finished."
