Ole: Ronaldo is United's Jordan

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer compared Cristiano Ronaldo's talismanic influence at Manchester United to NBA legend Michael Jordan after he scored twice to salvage a 2-2 draw at Atalanta on Tuesday.

For the third time in four Champions League games since returning for a second spell at Old Trafford, Ronaldo rescued United with a late goal as his sweetly struck volley in the 91st minute snatched a barely deserved point in Bergamo.

The 36-year-old also scored late winners at home to Villarreal and Atalanta, when United came from 2-0 down to win 3-2 two weeks ago.

However, another disjointed display bailed out by Ronaldo's brilliant finishing will do little to ease the pressure on United boss Solskjaer.

"Ronaldo is one of the best that's ever played this game. I'm sure this is the same feeling the Chicago Bulls got with Michael Jordan," said Solskjaer, referring to the American megastar who won six NBA titles in two spells with the Bulls.

"If you want the ball to fall to someone in the last minute, Cristiano is the one. He's done it so many times for us and I'm OK with him scoring more goals than me."

Ronaldo's double took him past Solskjaer's 126 goals for the club.

Ronaldo's superb injury-time strike left the Italian club's coach, Gian Piero Gasperini, laughing wryly at the notion the 36-year-old has been to blame for United's inconsistent form.

Ronaldo has scored in all four Champions League games in Group F so far, with five goals in total including his double in the draw in Bergamo, and has a further four goals from seven Premier League outings.

"Some even managed to say he was a problem, imagine Ronaldo as a problem! He never gets it off target－half the time he scores, half the time it is saved," Gasperini said.

At 36, Ronaldo's lack of pressing work had led some critics to recently question if he was unbalancing the United side, but Solskjaer clearly understands the quality he brings to the side.

"Cristiano is just incredible if there is anyone you want a chance to fall to ... and it's a difficult chance. He keeps his eye on the ball and his technique on that volley is incredible," said the Norwegian.

Atalanta was understandably dejected at seeing what would have been a famous victory slip out of its hands in the final minutes of the game.

The Serie A side led twice on Tuesday but left with just a point, having let a two-goal lead slip at Old Trafford last month when Ronaldo grabbed the 81st-minute winner in a 3-2 victory.

"In the Champions League, great players can change a game that you deserved to win and then don't. A third goal would've killed it, that was the case in Manchester too, and we certainly had the chances to go 3-1 up in both games," he said.

Solskjaer felt the performance had also answered another criticism of his players heard in the aftermath of their recent 5-0 home loss to Liverpool.

"Definitely no one can question the character of these players. They just don't give up, they don't give in and they keep going. We had to make a few changes and they worked," he said.

Solskjaer's switch to a back three for a 3-0 win at Tottenham on Saturday resulted in some much-needed defensive solidity after the humiliating 5-0 thrashing against Liverpool.

However, that was just the Red Devils' second clean sheet in 22 games and their problems at the back were again easily exposed, with captain Harry Maguire having another night to forget.

David de Gea has been one of United's best performers of a desperately disappointing season so far, but he was at fault as he let Josip Ilicic's shot squirm under his body and over the line.

Duvan Zapata had two glorious chances to double the Italian side's lead, but the Colombian fired high and wide before being denied by a brilliant block by Eric Bailly.

United suffered another blow when Raphael Varane was forced off midway through the first half with what appeared to be the recurrence of a groin injury.

However, the individual quality in the United squad was in evidence for a superb equalizer in first-half stoppage time.

Mason Greenwood played in Bruno Fernandes, who picked out Ronaldo with a backheel for his Portuguese compatriot to blast home his eighth goal in 12 games since returning to Old Trafford in August.

But United has only won five of those games as Solskjaer continues to struggle to find the right blend up front.

The offside flag initially came to United's rescue when Zapata finally found the net 11 minutes into the second period.

After a video review that took over two minutes, the Gewiss Stadium erupted in celebration when the goal was given.

Despite being starved of service for the majority of the second half, Ronaldo delivered again in the first of five minutes of stoppage time.

Greenwood flicked the ball toward the five-time Ballon d'Or winner, who arrowed the ball into the bottom corner.

United even had a late chance to snatch all three points when substitute Donny Van de Beek was denied by Juan Musso from a narrow angle.

But a point was enough to keep United ahead of Villarreal at the top of Group F based on their head-to-head record, with both sides locked on seven points.

Atalanta is two points further back with two games remaining.

Agencies