Anthony Elanga form demands Marcus Rashford question as Ralf Rangnick tinkering creates doubt

Manchester United escaped the Wanda Metropolitano with a 1-1 draw despite a largely poor performance on Wednesday night.

United struggled throughout the game as Diego Simeone got the better of Ralf Rangnick in the tactical battle and after going ahead early on through a well-taken Joao Felix header, United were once again indebted to Anthony Elanga as he levelled late on to give United a boost ahead of the return leg at Old Trafford.

Rangnick made some big calls on the night with his team selection and they did not exactly pay off but in the end, it proved a good night's work and Elanga's equaliser puts United in a good position to go through to the next round.

And that's what the German would have been seeking ahead of the game, with the result not necessarily merited but certainly gleefully accepted by United.

The Good: Anthony Elanga

Elanga proved to be United's saving grace on the night. When he was brought on in the second half, he was the only player who seemed to provide any energy or movement to try and break down a resolute Atletico backline.

United had been struggling to put the hosts' defence under any pressure with neither Marcus Rashford nor Jadon Sancho able to make any sort of meaningful impact. Both players persisted in coming short to receive the ball and therefore allowed the Spanish side to counter-press and reposition their defence.

But Elanga consistently ran in behind and stretched Simeone's side, offering a different option and this verticality was key to him racing through to net the all-important goal United coveted.

Having received a sliderule pass from Bruno Fernandes, he capitalised on a rare error from Atletico at the back and slotted it past an onrushing Oblak. The goal capped off another