Ole Gunnar Solskjaer compared Cristiano Ronaldo to NBA great Michael Jordan after the forward single-handedly dragged Manchester United to a 2-2 draw against Atalanta.
Ronaldo twice inspired United to come from behind, cancelling out strikes from Josep Ilicic and then Duvan Zapata as the Red Devils earned a 2-2 draw.
The Portugal international s brace prevented United from falling to a fourth successive away defeat in the European Cup/Champions League for the first time ever and keeps his side top of their group, level with Villarreal and two points better off than Tuesday s opponents.
Ronaldo also became the second-oldest player to have netted a Champions League double after Filippo Inzaghi (37 years and 86 days) in November 2010, and Solskjaer likened his forward s impact to that of former Chicago Bulls superstar Jordan.
We all have our roles and responsibilities, Solskjaer told reporters at his post-match news conference. Cristiano is a leader in the group, but that s what he does: he scores goals.
We re not happy conceding two goals. Both of them are very, very fine margins. The first one I think should be off, the second one is a centimetre onside, probably. He s maybe offside last season, it s fine margins.
But he does provide those moments. I m sure Chicago Bulls didn t mind having Michael Jordan either.
Sometimes the teams have the players they have, and that s why they are at Man United and why they are champions at Chicago Bulls – you come up with those moments.
4 – Cristiano Ronaldo is the first player to score in four consecutive UEFA Champions League appearances for Manchester United since Ruud van Nistelrooy in April 2003 (in a run of nine). Striking.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe)
United have won just three of their past nine games in all competitions, leaving pressure on the under-fire Solskjaer, but the former Red Devils star hailed the support his side continues to receive.
It s a great feeling, that support for the team and for me personally. It makes you humble, Solskjaer continued.
They know that all we want is for the team and the club to do well, of course we want to do our best, and I ve appreciated the support recently.
Jadon Sancho, whose opportunities have been limited since joining from Borussia Dortmund in the close season, featured as a second-half substitute, and Solskjaer was satisfied with the England international s performance.
I commit a crime every time I pick a team, he said. There are always players that get left out. Against Tottenham, it was a different system, here again it was another different system.
Jadon has got a fantastic attitude, the quality he has, and he was really sharp when he came on – the first header he cleared, and then he was really good on the ball.
He s got a really big role to play for us for many years as a good player.
