Manchester United produced a remarkable second-half comeback to beat AS Roma 3-2 in the UEFA Champions League at Old Trafford on Tuesday night, ending their nine-game winless run in all competitions and offering Michael Carrick a much-needed reprieve.
The Red Devils looked destined for another disappointing evening after Matías Soulé and Donyell Malen’s penalty gave the visitors a two-goal advantage before the 20th minute, threatening to deepen United’s woes following their recent struggles.
It was the earliest United have ever gone down by that margin at home in a Champions League game.
However, the three-time European champions responded after the break, with captain Bruno Fernandes reducing the deficit from the penalty spot in the 58th minute before Matheus Cunha took centre stage with two goals in quick succession.
The Brazilian levelled the contest in the 83rd minute before completing the turnaround three minutes later, firing United into a dramatic 3-2 lead and sending Old Trafford into celebration.
Cunha’s evening ended on a sour note, however, as he was sent off in stoppage time after receiving a second yellow card, leaving United to protect their slender advantage with ten men.
But his dismissal did little to overshadow a result that could prove pivotal to the club’s season and Carrick’s future.
Cunha Gives United a Moment of Breather
United’s victory was particularly significant given the circumstances surrounding the encounter and the pressure that had been mounting on Carrick.
The Englishman had watched his side suffer three consecutive defeats, including Saturday’s 2-0 loss to Chelsea, extending their winless sequence to nine matches, comprising six defeats and three draws.
Roma appeared to be taking advantage of that uncertainty when Soulé opened the scoring before Malen converted from the penalty spot to establish a commanding lead inside the opening 20 minutes.
But United showed a different mentality after the interval and scoring three times in succession with Cunha delivering the decisive moments, scoring twice in three minutes to complete a turnaround that had appeared unlikely after Roma’s commanding first-half display.
The victory ended United’s longest winless sequence in 48 years, having avoided going ten consecutive matches without a victory for the first time since 1978.
Carrick Earns Crucial Lifeline
The result represents a significant breath of fresh air for Carrick, whose position had come under increasing scrutiny following United’s prolonged struggles.
Before the encounter, the United manager had called on his players to respond to their disappointing results, expressing confidence in their ability to turn their situation around.
“We’re certainly still in it and we have a great chance for progressing and that has to be the focus from now,” Carrick said ahead of the Roma fixture.
He had also acknowledged that United needed to make better decisions and capitalise on their opportunities, particularly after their defeat to Chelsea, where he felt his side had created enough chances to avoid losing.
Tuesday’s comeback provided the response he had demanded, with the victory taking United to six points in the Champions League league phase after successive defeats to Atlético Madrid and Como, the latter ending in a 4-1 loss.
The result marked Manchester United’s only third win for the entire campaign after 14 games and also their first victory since beating Sabah FK in September, bringing an end to a difficult period that had threatened to derail their European ambitions.
Roma Surrender Another Two-goal Advantage
For Roma, the defeat represents another painful collapse after surrendering a commanding position in the Champions League.
The Italian side have now squandered two-goal leads in two of their four league-phase matches this season, with their previous collapse coming against Real Madrid on matchday two.
Roma had led the Spanish giants 3-1 with seven minutes remaining before Real Madrid produced a stunning late comeback to secure a 4-3 victory.
Their inability to protect another two-goal advantage will raise further questions about their defensive resilience, particularly after appearing in control of Tuesday’s encounter for much of the first half.
The defeat also extended Manchester United’s impressive record against Roma at Old Trafford, where the English side have maintained their unbeaten record against the Italian outfit.
United had previously eliminated Roma in the 2007/08 Champions League quarter-finals, winning 3-0 on aggregate, before overcoming them 8-5 across two legs in the 2020/21 Europa League semi-finals.
Barcelona and PSG Record Emphatic Victories
Elsewhere in Tuesday’s Champions League action, Barcelona secured an impressive 3-0 victory over Aston Villa at the Spotify Camp Nou, with Lamine Yamal and Raphinha leading the Catalans’ attacking display.
Yamal opened the scoring in the seventh minute after capitalising on a defensive error from the visitors to give Barcelona an early advantage.
Raphinha then took charge in the second half, scoring twice in the 52nd and 64th minutes to complete a comfortable victory for Hansi Flick’s side and strengthen their position in the league phase.
Paris Saint-Germain also delivered an emphatic performance, demolishing Villarreal 6-0 at the Estadio de la Cerámica.
The French champions overwhelmed the Spanish hosts with four goals inside the opening 17 minutes, with João Neves, Désiré Doué, Senny Mayulu and Fabián Ruiz among the early scorers.
PSG maintained their dominance after the interval to complete a comprehensive victory, further underlining their credentials as contenders for the European title.
The results provided further drama on an eventful Champions League night, but United’s remarkable recovery at Old Trafford stood out as one of the evening’s biggest talking points.
In The Netherlands, Inter Milan went away to beat Feyenoord 3-0 while FC Bayern Munich, without manager Vincent Kompany, went to Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid 2-0 at the Wanda Metropolitano in Spain.
READ ALSO: Afenyo-Markin Vows NPP Victory, Bawumia Presidency in 2029
