Manchester United megastar Cristiano Ronaldo was understandably ecstatic at the full-time whistle as his late header secured a dramatic comeback victory over Atalanta. Having fallen 2-0 behind by half time, Old Trafford let out a chorus of boos as the pressure continued to mount on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but a noticeable difference after the break rendered it a matter of time before United emerged victorious.
Mario Pasalic and Merih Demiral put Atalanta two to the good within half an hour, stunning Old Trafford into silence.
Solskjaer was left scratching his head on the bench as his side spurned a handful of chances to mount their comeback, but a crucial half-time team talk was clearly delivered effectively.
A cool finish from Marcus Rashford set the wheels in motion, before a Harry Maguire strike and a trademark Ronaldo header sent the ground into raptures.
When the referee blew the final whistle, Ronaldo sank to his knees in celebration, jubilant in the knowledge that his goal had secured a vital three points.
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Although their second-half display was spirited, they were given the runaround in the first half which should prompt concern ahead of a crunch showdown with Liverpool on Sunday.
The Reds are in scintillating form as the only unbeaten team left in the Premier League, and their own dramatic victory over Atletico Madrid on Tuesday will have lifted spirits even further.
Maguire made amends for his defensive fragility since returning from injury by getting himself on the scoresheet against Atalanta, but he and his colleagues will have to tighten up considerably if they are to keep a rampant Mohamed Salah at bay.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was left frustrated by Man Utd's first-half display (Image: GETTY)
Still, the Atalanta victory will present a much-needed morale boost for a squad and manager under scrutiny ahead of a daunting run of fixtures.
Even after the Liverpool clash, an away tie with Atalanta and Premier League outings against Manchester City and Tottenham lie in wait.
At 36-years-old, Solskjaer has made it clear that Ronaldo will not be starting every game this season, no matter how much he wants to.
After Wednesday's winner, however, he may be convinced to call on him more often.