Maguire hails ‘massive goal’ from magical Portuguese

HARRY MAGUIRE last night hailed the magic of Cristiano Ronaldo after his late winner sealed Manchester United’s dramatic comeback to beat Atalanta. The Italians were two ahead after half an hour before second-half goals from Marcus Rashford and skipper Maguire levelled the score. Ronaldo then scored a late winner for the second European match running to hand a lifeline to under-fire manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. ‘I had eyes on it all the way,’ Maguire said of the Portuguese superstar’s 81st-minute header which lifted United from the bottom of Group F to the top. ‘I was right behind him. His leap, his timing, it was perfect, right in the corner. ‘We see it day in, day out in training and in the goals he has scored throughout his career. He has come up with a massive goal for us again in the Champions League. ‘The first half we conceded two bad goals. For the first they caught us out and then the second it is a set-play we shouldn’t be conceding. We created a lot of chances in the first half so we knew at half-time the next goal would be crucial. ‘We got the goals we needed and deserved. I think we deserved the win in the end. Yes, we made it difficult but it is a tremendous victory in the end.’ On his goal which brought United level, Maguire said: ‘It is normally with my head (that he scores). I have not managed to put one away. It is my first goal for the season and the Champions League. A proud moment with my family here. ‘We were two goals down and we need to sharpen up with that. But we had plenty of chances. I think Marcus had two one-on-ones in the first half. ‘We are working hard to be more solid but it is about winning and the last three or four games we have conceded too many set-pieces. It is fine margins but we need to do better. We showed great togetherness. We were clapped off at half-time by some of these fans and they gave us the belief we needed.’ United legend Paul Scholes was less impressed, however, telling BT Sport: ‘I get all the excitement but that first half I just didn’t enjoy it and I think that first half put me off the second. I think if they were playing a better team they’d be out of sight. That first half was worrying. It looked anything but a team, it lacked unity — that was a worrying sign.’