Football Tips: Paddy trader’s fine flutters for Atletico v Man Utd

Brian McDonnell gives the view from the trading floor of Power Tower.

* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

Paddy Power football trader Brian McDonnell thinks Manchester United might be able to upset his own odds on Wednesday night. The Red Devils head to the Spanish capital to take on Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

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There should be plenty of action and this could be an absolutely cracking tie, especially as Atleti’s normally rock-solid defence has deserted them a bit. We could be looking at a basketball score here so let’s get Brian’s Atletico Madrid v Manchester United tips.

Wednesday 8pm: Atletico Madrid v Manchester United

TV: BT Sport 2 and BT Sport Ultimate

Atletico are the favourites but I’m actually going to go with an away win for Manchester United here, looking at the prices. I look at Atletico Madrid this season, everyone knows over the years with Diego Simeone they’ve been a defensive team, hard to break down.

They’re the current La Liga champions and they conceded 25 league goals last season but they’ve already conceded 34 this season. The last time they conceded more than 34 league goals in a full campaign was in 2012, 10 years ago.

It’s not the Atletico Madrid that we have known in previous seasons and I think Manchester United can take advantage of that. Atletico did not win any of their three group stage home games this season. I’ve been critical of Man United on here in the past, it’s not often I tip them up, but something about them in the Champions League and big results away from home means I think they can get the win here.

One thing I’d be worried about is that there’s no away goals. If you looked at Paris St-Germain v Real Madrid last week, Real were happy to play for a 0-0 draw. They didn’t get there in the end but United could try something similar.

I’ve been impressed with United over the last few weeks even if they haven’t quite got the results their xG has indicated they should. I think it’s coming together for Man United so I’m going to go for United to Win.

The Champions League is where Cristiano Ronaldo does his best work and I do like the look of, instead of first goal scorer, maybe have a go on him to be last goal scorer. He scored a couple of late goals in the group stages against Villarreal and Atalanta.

If anyone’s going to score for United late on you’d put your house on Ronaldo so I’m going to have a go on Ronaldo to Score Last rather than First in this one.

Atleti v Man Utd tips

Manchester United to Win
Cristiano Ronaldo to Score Last

* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

Wednesday football tips

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