Manchester United vs. Atletico Madrid Predictions: Two bets for a huge night at Old Trafford

The Red Devils welcome Atletico Madrid to Old Trafford on Tuesday night, live on BT Sport, in a bid to book their place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. An 80th minute Anthony Elanga equaliser helped Manchester United leave the Wanda Metropolitano one goal apiece and as slight favourites to progress, with everything still to play for here in the second leg of this last-16 matchup.

An exceptional Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick kept Manchester United's Premier League top four hopes alive at the weekend in a dramatic 3-2 victory to Tottenham Hotspur. Nineteen matches into Ralph Rangnicks reign has seen United only taste defeat twice, at the hands of Manchester City and Wolves, with nine wins and eight draws. With no away goals rule in the Champions League anymore, any kind of draw would see this game extend to extra-time and penalties to decide the outcome. Rangnick will be hoping that Bruno Fernandes and Scott McTominay can return to the starting XI after missing out at the weekend, with Diogo Dalot expected to keep his place ahead of Aaron Wan-Bissaka. 

Four wins on the bounce in La Liga now for Diego Simeone's men, as they climb to fourth place, level on points with Barcelona with goal difference the separating factor. Yannick Carrasco remains suspended for the second leg also, so Renan Lodi will keep his place at left wing-back. Correa made an appearance at the weekend so may be fit to start here. A whole list of injuries haunts Diego Simeone, with Kondogbia ruled out being a huge blow in the centre of midfield. Matheus Cunha, Daniel Wass, Sime Vrsaljko, Thomas Lemar and Mario Hermoso are all also ruled out through injury, leaving limited options all over the pitch.

Manchester United possible starting lineup:
De Gea; Dalot, Varane, Maguire, Shaw; Fred, McTominay; Sancho, Fernandes, Pogba; Ronaldo

Atletico Madrid possible starting lineup:
Oblak; Savic, Felipe, Reinildo; Llorente, De Paul, Koke, Herrera, Lodi; Felix, Correa

Passing bets definitely provide a different angle to normal sports betting markets, something that I delve into on the regular. Here they have given Harry Maguire a 59.5 pass line which I feel is a touch generous under the circumstances.

The game is perfectly poised here at one goal apiece, its likely Atletico will set up in a passive style being away from home. With Atletico leading early on at the Wanda Metrapolitano, Harry Maguire managed to rack up sixty-seven passes and there is a good chance he could register similar numbers at Old Trafford, even though he has only cleared this line in four of his last eight home matches. Atletico when away from home have been allowing their opposition to rack up passes at the back. The last six away matches in La Liga against top half opposition have seen the main passing centre backs register 71 (Real Betis), 65 (Barcelona), 43 (Sociedad), 87 (Villarreal), 79 (Sevilla) and 83 (Real Madrid) passes. Unless Manchester United take an early lead, I expect this line to have a great chance.

The Scottish central midfielder has finally begun to be punished for his fouls, after going on a crazy run of avoiding going into the book for the majority of last season. In the 20/21 season he managed only three bookings across thirty-two league matches, definitely deserved of more. This season has been a lot different, going into the book eight times in only twenty-four league matches, once every three games. All eight of those league bookings however have come in his last eighteen matches, just shy of one every two games.

He could have a solid battle on in the centre of the park with Hector Herrera opposing him. Only Pogba has made more fouls for Manchester United per game this season, with the Scot making fifteen across his last four starts, picking up three yellows. In such a big game that’s on a knife edge, the occasion could definitely get to the United youth academy product who often lets his emotions run high.

@DeanWoodward93 BettingOdds 2022 P/L - +6.44 units