On a Tuesday night at Old Trafford, a Manchester United side that had fallen two goals behind to Roma within seventeen minutes found a way back, winning 3-2 and easing the pressure on a manager whose job hangs in the balance. It is the kind of reversal that football has always reserved for its most stubborn moments, when a crowd refuses to accept that an evening is lost. The result offers Michael Carrick a breath in a difficult season, though one victory cannot undo a long winless stretch. Football's memory of such nights stretches back through Barcelona's remarkable escape against Paris St-Ge
Man Utd Come Back From 2-0 Down to Beat Roma, Carrick Gets a Lifeline in Europe
A night to forget became unforgettable for the Old Trafford faithful
Mark
Two goals down after 17 minutes, and they still won. Why does this matter beyond the three points?
Mimi
Because United had won just twice all season in all competitions and were on a nine-game winless run. Carrick's job was under real pressure, and this gives him something to point to.
Mark
Who actually turned it around?
Mimi
Bruno Fernandes scored a penalty to start it, and then Matheus Cunha scored twice in three minutes. The final score was 3-2.
Luke
Let's be careful about what that buys him. The report says it eases pressure. It doesn't say his job is safe.
Mimi
Fair. It says he can breathe a little easier, nothing more.
Mark
Roma came in with a strong record too, didn't they?
Mimi
Unbeaten in 10 Serie A games this season, so the first-half lead wasn't a fluke against a weak side.
Luke
Though one night against that record doesn't tell us whether United's form has really changed. The source doesn't claim it has.
Mark
And the history of comebacks in the piece?
Mimi
It's context. Barcelona's 6-1 over PSG is the standout, the only overturning of a four-goal deficit. United's was a two-goal recovery, a different scale.
Luke
Right, the comparison list is colour, not a measure of this match. What comes next for Carrick is unknown from this reporting.
Le Pouls
- Two goals down inside seventeen minutes, Old Trafford's mood tightened into a familiar dread.
- Bruno Fernandes stepped up from the penalty spot to ignite a second-half fightback.
- Matheus Cunha struck twice in three minutes, turning a losing night into a stunning 3-2 win.
- The result snaps a nine-game winless run, but Carrick's position remains under scrutiny as the season continues.
On a Tuesday night at Old Trafford, a Manchester United side that had fallen two goals behind to Roma within seventeen minutes found a way back, winning 3-2 and easing the pressure on a manager whose job hangs in the balance. It is the kind of reversal that football has always reserved for its most stubborn moments, when a crowd refuses to accept that an evening is lost. The result offers Michael Carrick a breath in a difficult season, though one victory cannot undo a long winless stretch. Football's memory of such nights stretches back through Barcelona's remarkable escape against Paris St-Germain and beyond.
Seventeen minutes into a Champions League night at Old Trafford, Manchester United were two goals down to Roma, and the familiar gloom around a struggling club was settling in. The visitors had not lost in ten Serie A games this season. United, under Michael Carrick, were stuck on a nine-game winless run that had left the manager's position increasingly precarious.
What followed was a recovery that showed character and quality in a troubled campaign. United had won only twice in all competitions before this game, and a poor start threatened another damaging defeat. Then the second half turned the night. Captain Bruno Fernandes converted a penalty to begin the fightback, and Matheus Cunha struck twice in three minutes to finish it 3-2. A night that had looked set to be forgotten became one the Old Trafford crowd would remember.
For Carrick, the win was a lifeline, letting him breathe a little easier, though one result does not erase a winless run of that length or a season with only two earlier victories. The article also recalls the competition's great turnarounds, from Barcelona's 6-1 win over Paris St-Germain in 2017 to Liverpool and Tottenham's remarkable nights in 2019.
Seventeen minutes into a Champions League night at Old Trafford, Manchester United were two goals down to Roma, and the mood around a struggling club was hardening into something familiar. The visitors had not lost in their 10 Serie A games this season. United, under Michael Carrick, were stuck on a nine-game winless run that had left the manager's position increasingly precarious.
What followed on Tuesday was a recovery that the source describes as a show of character and class missing from a troubled campaign. Before this game, United had won just twice in all competitions. A poor start threatened to deliver another damaging defeat.
It turned in the second half. Captain Bruno Fernandes began the fightback from the penalty spot. Then Matheus Cunha struck twice in the space of three minutes, turning the game on its head and finishing it 3-2 to United. A night that had looked set to be another one to forget became, for the Old Trafford crowd, an unforgettable one.
For Carrick, the result was a lifeline. He is fighting to save his job, and the win let him breathe a little easier, though one result does not erase a winless run of that length or a season with only two previous victories.
United are far from the first side to rescue a European tie from apparent defeat, and the source recalls several of the competition's great turnarounds. Barcelona's 6-1 win over Paris St-Germain on 8 March 2017 is arguably the greatest. PSG had won the first leg 4-0, and Barcelona needed to score three times in fewer than 30 minutes while trailing 5-3 on aggregate. Neymar scored a free-kick in the 88th minute and a penalty in the 91st to level at 5-5, but PSG were still going through on away goals. With 20 seconds of added time left, Sergi Roberto turned in Neymar's chipped pass. Barcelona remain the only team to overturn a four-goal Champions League deficit, and the tie has its own name in France and Spain, La Remontada.
The following year, on 10 April 2018, Roma themselves staged one. After a 4-1 first-leg defeat at the Nou Camp, which included own goals from Daniele de Rossi and Kostas Manolas, they beat Barcelona 3-0 at home. Edin Dzeko scored early, De Rossi atoned with a second-half strike, and Manolas headed in a corner eight minutes from time. It ended a 34-year wait for a semi-final place and went through on away goals, 4-4 on aggregate.
In May 2019 came two in 24 hours. Liverpool, without the injured Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, overturned a 3-0 first-leg loss to Barcelona by winning 4-0 at Anfield. Divock Origi scored on seven minutes, substitute Georginio Wijnaldum scored twice in 166 seconds after half-time, and Trent Alexander-Arnold took a quick corner for Origi to finish. The next night in Amsterdam, Tottenham trailed Ajax 3-0 on aggregate at the break after goals from Matthijs de Ligt and Hakim Ziyech. Lucas Moura scored twice within four minutes of the 55th, then completed his hat-trick in the 95th minute to send Spurs through on away goals.
The source also recalls Deportivo La Coruna, now in the Spanish second tier, who beat AC Milan 4-0 on 7 April 2004 after losing the first leg 4-1. Walter Pandiani, Juan Carlos Valeron and Albert Luque scored to wipe out the deficit in 43 minutes, and Fran added a fourth to knock out Carlo Ancelotti's side, 5-4 on aggregate.
BBC highlights of every Champions League game are due from 22:00 on Wednesday, with a Match of the Day programme on BBC One from 22:40.
Citations marquantes
Roma have risen from their ruins.— Commentator Peter Drury, on Roma's 2018 comeback against Barcelona
Envie de l'histoire complète ?
Lire l'original sur BBC News ↗
Politics & Governance