The second round of UEFA Champions League group stage matches will kick off midweek, and Ashley Young has shared his views on Manchester United's away trip to Atlético Madrid, Manchester City's home match against PSG, and other key fixtures this week.

Manchester United draw 1-1 with Atlético Madrid away

Manchester United faces one of the most highly anticipated matchups in this round of Champions League fixtures as they travel to face Atlético Madrid away from home. The metropolis-based European sides always present tough challenges, and Diego Simeone's team will be particularly motivated to exploit their home advantage after losing 2-1 to Liverpool away in the first group stage match. Atlético Madrid has been winning consistently in the domestic league, including impressive victories over Real Madrid (2-1) and a difficult away win against Alavés (2-1).

Álvaro Morata, one of Simeone's key attacking players, remains a formidable threat despite the summer transfer speculation. He can trouble any defense with his pace and clinical finishing. This will be a stern test for Michael Carrick's Manchester United. United's recent league form has been inconsistent, with consecutive 1-1 draws against Fulham and Tottenham.

Manchester United secured a 4-0 victory over Sharjah in their opening Champions League match. Rashford's explosive form is a genuine attacking threat, and he is well familiar with Atlético Madrid having come on as a substitute in the previous match and having played against Barcelona last year. I believe he should start this match. Since Manchester United's defense remains unsettled, they will need to maintain tactical discipline and concentration from start to finish.

Based on head-to-head records, Atlético Madrid holds the advantage. In the 2022 Champions League round of 16, the two teams drew 1-1 in Madrid, and Atlético Madrid won 1-0 at Old Trafford. In previous official meetings, Simeone's side has consistently shown great resilience, while Manchester United has never won away against Atlético Madrid. During my time at Manchester United, I personally experienced the intensity of playing in Spain's home environment and understand what kind of mentality and mindset United needs to demonstrate. Atlético Madrid will try to disrupt Manchester United's rhythm early, dominate midfield, and use their passionate home support to increase their attacking efficiency, which will put pressure on Bruno Fernandes and other midfielders.

This match will be intense and competitive. Although Atlético Madrid has a better home record under Simeone and a superior head-to-head record compared to Manchester United, United's attacking prowess and European ambitions mean they can mount a comeback. I expect this to be a tightly contested affair, with both teams sharing the spoils in a 1-1 draw.

Manchester City will defeat PSG at home

Manchester City will face PSG in a standout fixture of this Champions League group stage on Wednesday evening at the Etihad Stadium. Both teams started well and will be looking to avoid defeat in this match.

Erling Haaland's Champions League record is remarkable—59 goals in 59 matches—and while PSG's defense is not their strongest area, Ligue 1 champions have managed to keep a clean sheet in only one of their first nine matches this season. I expect Haaland to score in this match. We know PSG has effective attacking prowess. Their key player Ousmane Dembélé scored 2 goals and provided 2 assists in his opening Champions League match. Manchester City will need to closely monitor his movements. He can exploit defensive gaps and punish opponents, much like how he led them to a 4-2 comeback victory against Manchester City in their last head-to-head meeting.

After the Premier League cleared Manchester City of financial misconduct allegations, reports suggest Pep Guardiola will be present at the Etihad Stadium. This is an added advantage for the team. They demonstrated their quality form after beating Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield and are looking to maintain their excellent performance.

Manchester City are currently on an eight-game winning streak across all competitions, scoring 23 goals during this period. While PSG is competitive, Manchester City's momentum and home advantage work in their favor. I back them. If Haaland is fit and firing as usual, I expect the home side Manchester City to secure all three points and establish themselves as serious contenders in the European competition.

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