Elanga shows up dreadful Pogba, Ronaldo and Varane

Carlo Garganese

• Updated: 23 Feb 2022 16:05 CST
• 5 min read

Atletico Madrid will be cursing their luck. How on earth did they fail to win tonight?

They dominated a dismal Manchester United side, hitting the woodwork twice and restricting their visitors to just one shot on goal. Yet they only came away with a 1-1 draw.

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Nothing is going right for Atletico this season and they have been in dreadful form over the last few months. Since the start of December, they have incredibly lost eight games and they are at grave risk of failing to make the top four in La Liga.

So long famed for their defensive solidity, this season they have already conceded 34 goals in 25 league games – more than anyone in the top half of La Liga. Their goalkeeper Jan Oblak was once the best in Europe, he has a 50 per cent save rate this season and cost them again this evening.

But against a Man Utd side who were strong favourites to not only win this tie but win this game in Madrid, Atletico were dominant.

They won every 50-50 ball, they outrun, outfought and outthought their opponents, they created chances and barely conceded anything. In the first half, Man Utd had an xG of just 0.05.

Joao Felix put Atletico ahead with a bullet diving header that was reminiscent of the Portuguese number 7 on the other end of the pitch.

Atletico, who were without a number of first-team players including Koke and Yannick Carrasco, threatened a second throughout the first half. Marcos Llorente somehow only managed to head the ball off Victor Lindelof and onto the post.

Atletico’s selective pressing forced United into numerous errors. Ronaldo barely got a kick up-front and cut a frustrated figure. He is increasingly showing his age these days. The 37-year-old even went down with cramp before half time. He is considering his future at Old Trafford at the end of the season, but would any top club want to sign a player whose legs are clearly going?

Paul Pogba was outplayed by his physical opposite number Geoffroy Kondogbia. He is available on a free transfer at the end of the season when his Man Utd contract expires but, like Ronaldo, would any top clubs really take him given his wage demands, inconsistency and tactical inflexibility?

Pogba offered nothing in a defensive or offensive sense. He just strolls around the field with no urgency. He was hauled off midway through the second half for veteran Nemanja Matic, a player who has been way past his best for at least three years. That said it all. You are a goal down in a big Champions League tie and you sub Pogba because you don’t trust him to help you recover.

In defence, Man Utd’s full-backs continue to offer nothing offensively. Luke Shaw has fallen off a cliff this season. Harry Maguire is having a dreadful season also and has been rightly criticised but Raphael Varane has been little better. The Frenchman makes basic errors and just looks uncomfortable in everything he does. He had a number of embarrassing mix-ups with David de Gea that could have proved costly.

But despite having created nothing all game, Man Utd somehow stole a draw 10 minutes from time with their first shot on target.

Bruno Fernandes slipped the ball through to super-sub Anthony Elanga, who scuffed his finish past the shockingly out-of-form Oblak.

Elanga had shown in a few minutes more than three trophy-laden greats in Ronaldo, Pogba and Varane – as well as other experienced players like Maguire and Shaw – had done all game. The teenager continues his impressive form under interim manager Ralf Rangnick, having also scored off the bench against Leeds at the weekend.

There was still time for United to ride their luck again as substitute Antoine Griezmann bent the ball onto the crossbar for a second time.

But in the end it was a good night for Man Utd despite a largely dismal performance. They take a 1-1 draw back to Old Trafford in three weeks and they also were handed a big boost in the race for the Premier League top four as Tottenham lost 1-0 at Burnley.