Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United need fans to raise the roof against Atletico

Old Trafford crowd must inspire their team in Champions League last-16 second leg against Simeone's Spaniards

ATLETICO MADRID RATINGS: Jan Oblak 5 - Didn’t have much to do and looked comfortable for the most part, but came up short when his side needed him most, getting his angles and body position all wrong for the goal. AFP

Jose Maria Gimenez 7 - Looked certain to score in the third minute, but a superb block by Lindelof denied him. Defended well and wasn’t greatly troubled by United. AFP

Stefan Savic 7 - The tattooed Montenegrin defended well and timed his challenges carefully in and around the box. Relished the battle and won most of his individual duels. AFP

Reinildo Mandava 6 - Worked well with Lodi down Atletico’s left, but was at fault for the goal when he gambled and slid in attempting to intercept Bruno Fernandes’s through ball. Getty Images

Sime Vrsaljko 6 - Caught out of position on a cross ball early in the second half, but got away with it. Good energy up and down the right. AFP

Renan Lodi 8 - Incredible left-footed delivery for the goal. The energetic Brazilian always looked to bomb forward and delivered dangerous crosses that asked questions of the Manchester United’s back line. AFP

Geoffrey Kondogbia 9 - A colossus in the middle of the park for Atleti. Won almost every second ball, broke up play and dominated the midfield battle with his energy and athleticism. Ran the show in the first half. AFP

Hector Herrera 8 - The robust Mexican used his body well to protect the ball and control the tempo for Atleti. Almost flawless in possession. Was a perfect foil for his midfield partner Kondogbia. AFP

Marcos Llorente 7 - The Spain international had some clever touches and linked well with the front two. Excellent work rate out of possession. AFP

Joao Felix 7 - Scored Atletico’s goal after seven minutes with a well-timed run across the face of Harry Maguire to score with a diving header in off David de Gea’s near post. Didn’t stop all night, showed lovely feet and close control in tight areas. Getty Images

Angel Correa 7 - Cleverly won free kicks in good areas and was a constant menace for Manchester United’s defenders with his energy and movement. Getty Images

SUB: Antoine Griezmann 7 (Felix, 75’) - Almost won it for the home side with a curling snapshot that hit the United bar with three minutes to go. Getty Images

SUB: Thomas Lemar 6 (Lodi, 75’) - Looked lively in the attacking third. AFP

MAN UNITED RATINGS: David de Gea 6 - Edgy start against his former club as Joao Felix superbly headed past him after seven minutes. It started with his poor clearance. Lucky it wasn’t two when Llorente’s header hit the bar. AP Photo

Luke Shaw 5 - Poor game. Booked and deservedly so. Off in the first batch of substitutions before he got a second yellow. EPA

Harry Maguire 4 - Felix got ahead of him to put Atleti ahead with a beautiful header. Blocked a cross six minutes later. Good at Leeds, bad in Madrid. AFP

Raphael Varane 5- Back in the city where he made his name across town, Varane suffered a clumsy moment after 30 minutes, conceding possession and then a free-kick. More Trabant than Rolls Royce in the first half, he improved in the second. Getty Images

Victor Lindelof 6 - Unusual in that the Swede played at right-back. Strong block to prevent a shot on goal after two minutes but wasn’t close to the excellent Lodi when he crossed for the opener. AFP

Paul Pogba 4 - Carelessly robbed of possession in the first half where the Spaniards were well on top. A big platform for him to show his level in a country where he long wanted to play, he was outclassed by Spain’s fifth best-placed side missing five of their best players. Fuming when he came off. AFP

Fred 5 - United’s midfield was outplayed in the first half, yet still had more possession … and could do little with it. Fouled – to Atleti fury – late on. By that time he was playing in a deeper role. AP Photo

Bruno Fernandes 6 - Robbed of possession three times early on. Pinged United’s first shot towards goal on 14 minutes. Lost his temper, moaned and moaned and was abused by the crowd for being Portuguese. Set up Elanga for the goal, though. AP Photo

Jadon Sancho 6 - Got back to intercept an Atleti attack but one of United’s best players in the last month didn’t have a great night. He worked hard, but that wasn’t enough. EPA

Marcus Rashford 4 - Barely involved. Lost possession as a United attack broke down after 64 minutes. Booked for it. A nothing game. AFP

Cristiano Ronaldo 4 - Little service and this little involvement in first half-hour, then shot wide. Moaned and asked for yellow cards to be given. Struck a 78th minute free-kick well over, to the loudest jeers of the night. EPA

SUB: Aaron Wan-Bissaka 7 (Lindelof, 66’). One of two full-backs brought on by Ralf Rangnick and he did set one chance up. AFP

SUB: Alex Telles 6 (Shaw, 66’). Clattered after 10 minutes. Booked on 83. Superb cross on 90. AFP

SUB: Nemanja Matic 7 (Pogba, 66’). Steady, steady, steady, which is exactly what was asked of him. AFP

SUB: Anthony Elanga 8 (Rashford, 75’). “Rhythm is a dancer Anthony Elanga, You won’t stop him if you dare. Came from Scandinavia, to be United’s savior, scoring goals from everywhere. Woah it’s Elanga.” Reuters

SUB: Jesse Lingard (Sancho, 82’). N/A. AFP

Old Trafford came alive on Saturday. Cristiano Ronaldo’s goals helped, three points and three goals against a decent side, a direct rival.

The atmosphere was good, it could have been better and when Ralf Rangnick said he needs another 10-15 per cent from his players in Tuesday’s Champions League game against Atletico Madrid, he could have been speaking about the fans, too.

In 2018, United drew a game at the same stage in Seville and the Spaniards came back to Old Trafford for a must-win second leg. As Seville took control but the tie stayed at 0-0, United froze, both the team and the fans. Sevilla scored twice. United, the team and the fans, woke up when it was too late. United went out of the competition.

Old Trafford is louder than it was in 2018, the Red Army section in the Stretford End works and J and K Stand still have their moments, but there can’t be a repeat of Seville on Tuesday. United fans need to raise their game as much as the team does. If Atletico, the in-form champions of Spain, can quieten the home fans then it’ll help them.

Their Argentinian manager Diego Simeone, from a country where the atmosphere for an average league game makes most Premier League stadiums seem like a library, knows the value of fan support. Atletico’s were very loud in the home game against United, a game they feel they deserved far more than a draw from. They’re vengeful.

“I was impressed with the number of United fans in Madrid,” one Madrid based journalist told me last week of the 3,300 Reds in Spain. “But they were pretty quiet until the equaliser, then they didn’t stop singing.”

Again, United fans need to get in front of the team rather than waiting for the team to do something. Real Madrid made fans a priority last week before their game against PSG.

It’s not like them, but they realised they needed everything to overcome a side who had Mbappe, Neymar and Messi up front. The players went to their fans after they’d beaten Real Sociedad in the previous game, then went back out to them from the dressing room.

Every Madrid player talked up the importance of the fans before the match. And the crowd responded. They could have been louder and PSG’s fans were better. The Parisians did not stop, even when their team faltered and the Bernabeu really came alive.

But Real Madrid are a better side than Manchester United and they’re better than Atletico. United need every drop of support from the 70,000 who’ll be inside Old Trafford on Tuesday.

Support for an average, rather than a vintage side. Support that builds before the game – from fans who are not making a noise in the pub but in the stadium.

Manchester United 3 Tottenham Hotspur 2 – player ratings

MANCHESTER UNITED RATINGS: David de Gea 6 Dived the right way for Kane’s penalty, but it was a perfect penalty. Wasn’t expecting Maguire to put the ball past him for Spurs’ second. EPA

Diogo Dalot 6 Headed a 26th minute Dier header off the line. Bad challenge on Reguilon on 73, for which he held his hands up. Reuters

Harry Maguire 5 Performed better than last week and involved in an open, thrilling, game. Then he scored an own goal and had Romero screaming in his face in celebration for his troubles. Lad needs a break. EPA

Raphael Varane 7 Started the build up for the opening goal. United’s defence is better with the Frenchman in it. And three important points against a direct rival lifted the move ahead of Tuesday’s key Champions League game against Atletico. Getty

Alex Telles 7 High cross for Ronaldo after 21. Handled the ball to concede Kane’s penalty. Costly error. Hits a decent free-kick/cross and his corner set up Ronaldo for the winner. Getty

Nemanja Matic 7 Lost possession to Hojberg, who shot after 17. Read the line right when Spurs did put the ball in the next a minute after. Superb block to stop a dangerous attack on 29. His looping ball to Sancho would lead to United’s second. EPA

Fred 8 Flicked the ball to set up Ronaldo’s opener, then blocked a Son strike five minutes later before immediately setting up Pogba to shoot. Another key tackle on 41. Good first half. Booked. Fine counter attack at 2-2, fine game. Reuters

Paul Pogba 6 Shot wide as United surged forward again after 16 minutes. Lost the ball and gave a free kick to Spurs soon after. Played centrally in an area where Spurs had more possession…and helped them in their cause more than he’d have liked but while ponderous, could also play a pass to split their defence. Booked. Getty

Marcus Rashford 5 First start in a month, but he had a quiet first half. More involved in the second and hit a cross towards Pogba, but no real threat. First player to come off. Getty

Jadon Sancho 7 Beaten by Kulusevski in the run up to Spurs penalty. Stayed onside to set up Ronaldo for United’s second. Cut inside to shoot on 43. Busy. Lost the ball to set up a Spurs attack on 61. Beaten down the right too many times, but still doing well. Getty

Cristiano Ronaldo 10 Scooped a sixth minute shot over. Then hit a magnificent curling shot past Lloris on 12. Met a Sancho cross to score United’s second on 38. Strike on target from distance on 66, then headed – magnificently – the winner on 82. Old Trafford came alive in song. 807 career goals to become football’s top goalscorer. Of all time. Getty

SUBS: Anthony Elanga On for Rashford on 67. More valuable minutes. EPA

Edinson Cavani On to a roar for Matic after 79. A brave move, but one which quickly paid off as United retook the lead. Getty

Victor Lindelof 5 As Old Trafford roared ‘Viva Ronaldo’, the Swede replaced him on 83 minutes. AP

TOTTENHAM RATINGS: Hugo Lloris – 7 The Frenchman had no chance of keeping out Ronaldo’s terrific strike from outside the box in the opening minutes, but he was twice forced to push away the Portuguese striker’s effort for a hat-trick in the second half. Didn’t have much luck with any of the goals. EPA

Cristian Romero – 5 The Atalanta loanee would have been flagged for offside if he had found Reguilon’s cross, but he’d distracted Maguire just enough to force the United man to convert into his own net for Spurs’ equaliser. Lost his man as Ronaldo climbed highest to claim his hat-trick. Getty

Eric Dier – 6 The centre-back was in the centre of a handball claim in the opening minutes, which VAR denied, but he gave Ronaldo too much space and backed off just after. He nearly got his team level before the half-hour mark, forcing a goal-line clearance from Dalot. Booked. Getty

Ben Davies – 6 The Welshman might have thought he’d scored his first goal of the season when he linked up with Reguilon and Son on the left flank, only to see the linesman raise his flag for offside. AP

Matt Doherty – 6 The former Wolves man was caught ball watching and left Sancho to sprint free to play in Ronaldo before United’s second, before he misjudged Ronaldo for his hat-trick goal. Getty

Rodrigo Bentancur – 6 The former Juventus man looks to be Conte’s first choice in a pairing with Hojbjerg in the centre of midfield. He managed some neat passes, though couldn’t dominate. Saw a first-half shot blocked by Maguire. PA

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – 7 The Denmark international was busy in midfield, finding several excellent passes and did well to win the ball from Matic in response to United finding their opener, though his resulting shot was weak and straight at De Gea. EPA

Sergio Reguilon – 6 The Spaniard was the only change for Antonio Conte with Ryan Sessegnon sidelined. He appealed for offside in the build-up to Ronaldo’s second, only to find out he was the player keeping Sancho onside. He was later played in by Son, with his resulting cross seeing Maguire find the back of his own net. Booked for a high foot. Reuters

Dejan Kulusevski – 7 The Juventus loanee collected Dier’s blocked free-kick before swiftly bypassing Sancho on the wing and winning a penalty when his cross hit Alex Telles’ arm. Continues to be an excellent addition. EPA

Heung-Min Son – 5 After trying to make something happen for much of the first half to no avail, the Korean had the perfect opportunity to put his side level, but he was unable to adjust and saw his effort go narrowly wide of the post. EPA

Harry Kane – 6 The English forward netted his sixth in five games when he stepped up to the spot and had enough power to squeeze past De Gea, who had guessed the right way. EPA

SUBS: Lucas Moura (Kulusevski 78’) – N/R Attempted a few dribbles but did very little to make an impact. EPA

Harry Winks (Bentancur 88’) – N/R The late substitute lofted a lovely ball into the box for Reguilon in the closing stages. EPA

Steven Bergwijn (Davies 88’) – N/R A late change for Spurs as Conte pushed for a third equalising goal to no avail. Getty

In 2017, Ajax fans filled their sections in Stockholm 90 minutes before the game when the United sections were three-quarters empty and only filled for kick-off.

It should be support that doesn’t start moaning after five minutes or doesn’t go quiet after five minutes as it did against Monaco in 1998 when Monaco scored. Support like the team had when Barcelona visited in 1984 and 2008.

“The fans kept us going, they never stopped, they kept us motivated and kept the adrenalin going,” said Bryan Robson when I asked him about the 1984 game recently.

“The pitch felt like it was shaking. It was the biggest crowd of the season, 58,000. Some fans climbed the floodlight pylons to see the game.”

Robson is regularly asked about that game 38 years later. Barcelona’s players say it was the loudest atmosphere they ever encountered. They paid begrudging nods to the M16 noise in 2008, too.

Atletico have Simeone, who earned David Beckham a red card in France 1998. They have Luis Suarez. They ended United’s run as the Cup Winners’ Cup holders in 1991 in the two teams’ only previous meeting.

They’d love nothing more than to knock their nemesis Cristiano Ronaldo out of Europe, the man who stopped them winning not one but two Champions League finals in 2014 and 2016 when he scored the final Real Madrid goals.

Are United’s fans going to let them off lightly? They need to make some noise.