Atletico Madrid could spring a surprise vs Manchester United in Champions League tie

Changes?

Ralf Rangnick did not gush about Cristiano Ronaldo as much as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer used to when the Portuguese gave him a stay of execution, which is hardly a surprise when Rangnick has reservations about Ronaldo's role at United this season and beyond.

Yet Ronaldo single-handedly prevented an excoriating inquest into Rangnick's tactics. The refusal to match Tottenham's back three was a mistake and United did next to nothing to heed the umpteen warnings of the first-half in the second-half. Rangnick's delay in sending on Victor Lindelof also contributed to Tottenham's second equaliser.

United won because they had Ronaldo and Tottenham are Tottenham. Atletico Madrid are unlikely to be as charitable and it would be misguided to field the same side.

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Atletico to surprise Rangnick?

Rangnick was borderline dismissive of Atletico's approach in the vast press room at the Wanda Metropolitano three weeks ago: "Atletico will not play any different to the way they did today but we have to."

Atletico could start with a back three again but have Koke back and Diego Simeone could be persuaded to play Antoine Griezmann or Luis Suarez. Greizmann, United's would-be marquee signing of 2017, almost won the first leg and Suarez revelled in forcing Barcelona's winner in the quarter-finals at Old Trafford in 2019.

Atmosphere

Tonight is United's last game for 18 days, a consequence of their early FA Cup elimination. This time last year, Champions League qualification was effectively assured and they were approaching the March internationals with two trophies to play for. Then Solskjaer's mismanagement cost them in the FA Cup quarter-final at Leicester.

United had