When it comes to European comebacks nobody does it better than Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Manchester United manager (right) Ole Gunnar Solskjaer celebrates after the final whistle. Picture: Martin Rickett/PA

Steve Bruce's sacking at Newcastle United yesterday could not have come at a worse time for fellow Manchester United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Like Bruce, the knives have been sharpening for the Norwegian coach the moment he returned to Old Trafford as manager in 2018. Many wanted a serial winner, not an unconvincing former Molde and failed Cardiff City boss.

Instead, they put faith in the ex-striker who once won them the European Cup in 1999, but once Bruce sent the Premier League managerial-merry-go-round spinning, even likeable club legends are not afforded safe seats.

Ole knows the drill and must have felt the camera lenses boring into every pore of a rapidly ageing appearance, that no longer sits so well with his playing moniker the Baby Faced Assassin.

He self-consciously looked away from the media before kick-off and was clearly grateful his arrival was largely greeted by cheers and applause.

The United faithful still want one of their most favourite sons to succeed where others have failed trying to follow in the hallowed footsteps of Alex Ferguson.

Keyboard warriors might have been bellowing at their screens, but there was not a dissenting voice to be heard in what is one of the great atmospheres in all football on nights such as these.

That was until his side started shipping goals again.

This was a huge game for the manager and for the club. United crave and demand success like no other, so recent results such as four-goals shipped at Leicester on Saturday and a home defeat by Aston Villa had raised more than a few questions.

Solskjaer appeased some of the club's blood-thirsty supporters by selecting a 'traditional' attacking Old Trafford line-up.

This time he left out Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic and Jadon Sancho and started with an attack spearheaded by Marcus Rashford, the England striker making his first start of the season.

What Ole really needed was to be able to select himself in his prime. Had that been possible, United could have been on level terms and not two goals down at half-time as Fred and then Rashford squandered great chances.

Atalanta's two-goal lead came far too easily and as Ole exited for what needed to be a brilliant half-time team talk, the loudest sound ringing in his ears would have been that of angry boos.

Within eight minutes Rashford had the ball in the back of the net and the cheers were deafening. The only blood United supporters wanted now was that of the Italian side daring to lead on their first ever visit to Old Trafford.

Solskjaer got his substitutions spot on, introducing Pogba and Edinson Cavani to lift the sense of hope in the stadium and destroy any remaining momentum Atalanta might have.

And, unlike Bruce in his final match on Sunday, this United team played for their manager and Harry Maguire's 75th minute equaliser was a thing of joy for players, fans and boss alike When Cristiano Ronaldo ended his wasteful night with a trademark booming winning header the United manager was almost home free.

An inquisition will ask why United had to go so low to get so high, but when it comes to European comebacks nobody does it better than Solskjaer.

As for the boo boys? They will have to wait for those other European miracle workers in the form of Liverpool come to chance their arm on Sunday. It will be a tougher test than Atalanta presented but unlikely to be as dramatic.