There are undoubtedly plenty of problems at Manchester United but if Cristiano Ronaldo keeps popping up in the big moments then this uncertain rollercoaster ride under the management of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will rumble on. Last night it was the Portuguese again who popped up late on to head home and seal a 3-2 comeback win for United over Atalanta who had taken a 2-0 first half lead. While a small amount of boos were heard around the ground as the players went off at half-time, the United fans loudly stuck with their team and manager and it paid off in the end. Afterwards Solskjaer praised the supporters but the Norwegian also did say that his side must stop conceding such soft goals. Elsewhere, Chelsea overcame Malmo 4-0 at Stamford Bridge but the concern for Thomas Tuchel is the injuries to Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner, both of who limped off during the match and look set for spells on the sidelines. This evening the Ireland women's team take centre stage in Tallaght as they meet Sweden in a crucial World Cup qualifier. The Scandinavians are very much towards the top of the tree in the women's game and Ireland face a huge task against the Olympic silver medalists, writes Gavin Cummiskey. One woman who knows first-hand just how impressive a system Sweden operate is Louise Quinn. The 31-year-old spent three seasons at Eskilstuna United and knows just what sort of a test Ireland will face tonight.
Moving to rugby and Gerry Thornley writes this morning that Ireland's autumn Test squad runs along expected lines after Andy Farrell's announcement yesterday. One of the standout names on the sheet was that of Simon Zebo who returns to the Ireland fold after his French exodus. "Zebo will, it seems, always polarise opinion between his legion of admirers and his critics. But he's back in the fold and it's not his fault that he's been played on the left wing by Munster," Thornley writes.
In GAA, it was confirmed last night that Henry Shefflin will take over as manager of the Galway hurlers, a surprise first ever managerial appointment for the GAA's most decorated player. Shefflin comes into Galway at a time of uncertainty. Shane O'Neill, his predecessor, served for two disappointing years in which the team, champions in 2017, failed to win Leinster or reach an All-Ireland final. In football, Ciarán Murphy writes in his column this morning that the Leitrim county final on Sunday showed why such counties deserve a chance to progress in a fair championship structure. "If it reminded Leitrim people of why their efforts in the GAA are worthwhile, laudable, and of value to people outside the county, then it will have done a great service," he writes.
In other news, the Irish women's hockey team will meet Italy in Pisa this morning with a host of retirements in the last year meaning that it is very much a new-look team ready for this World Cup qualifying campaign. Elsewhere, Joanne O'Riordan looks at the Saudi takeover of Newcastle United and writes in her column that the moral compass doesn't work for long in the great vacuum of sport.
