Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has told the club website he was pleased with Mason Greenwood’s contribution against Atalanta.
Greenwood was a first half substitute on for Raphael Varane, as United shifted tactics after going 1-0 down.
The youngster could not find a way through on goal himself, and actually managed to block a shot from Aaron Wan-Bissaka, before contributing to United’s equaliser.
Greenwood provided the assist for Cristiano Ronaldo’s equaliser with a deft touch to tee up the number 7.
Solskjaer picked out Greenwood for praise after the game, speaking to the club website.
He said: “Apart from Ronaldo and David [de Gea], Mason has had a very good season. If he gets man-marked he can get through. We needed a little bit more up front and he definitely provided that quality.”
Show of faith
Greenwood would have been forgiven for feeling a little marginalised after he was dropped following the defeat to Liverpool.
He did not even get off the bench in the win over Tottenham at the weekend, and then even with Edinson Cavani rested from the start last night, Greenwood remained on the bench.
So he will have appreciated the show of faith from Solskjaer to bring him off the bench as a priority early substitute.
Greenwood kept his composure at a vital moment to lay the ball off to Ronaldo, who executed a beautifully struck first time shot under pressure.
The goal secured United a point and keeps Solskjaer’s side at the top of the group.
Edinson Cavani is probably in line to start against City alongside Ronaldo at the weekend, but Greenwood is back in contention at least after this.
It is unclear which system United will go with, a matter also dependent on how many fit centre-backs the team has available, whether either Victor Lindelof or Raphael Varane will recover from injury.
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