Pro's and con's of auto v manual gearbox

AlphaZeroOne

When looking for options for a tow-car, the choice is between an automatic gear box and a manual. Opinions as to which is best for both pulling and fuel consumption seem to totally exclude a vehicle with an automatic gear box. I would really appreciate any
anecdotal evidence on the the pro's and con's of either; auto/manual.  Or should I just discount automatic? Many thanks.