Matheus Cunha scored twice before being sent off as Manchester United produced one of the greatest European comebacks in the club's history, overturning a two-goal deficit to beat AS Roma 3-2 at Old Trafford on Tuesday. The Champions League victory, United's first win in any competition since Sept. 10, delivered an immediate and potentially vital boost to manager Michael Carrick's hopes of keeping his job.
The night had started disastrously for the hosts. United trailed 2-0 after just 17 minutes and appeared headed for a fifth defeat in six matches, an outcome that would have left Carrick's position looking untenable at the end of a nine-game winless run.
The turnaround began in the second half. Bruno Fernandes saw a 57th-minute penalty saved by Roma goalkeeper Devis Vásquez, but referee Jesus Gil Manzano ordered a retake for encroachment, and the United captain converted at the second attempt to cut the deficit to 2-1.
Cunha, who had won the penalty, then took over. The Brazil forward equalized in the 83rd minute from a Fernandes cross before striking the winner from a tight angle following an inch-perfect pass from 19-year-old substitute Shea Lacey, who had entered the match only in the 75th minute.
Cunha celebrated his second goal by leaping into the home supporters, earning a yellow card that proved costly when he collected a second booking in stoppage time for a foul on Leonardo Balerdi. United, reduced to 10 players, held on to protect the result and their hopes of reaching the knockout stages.
Whether the win ultimately saves Carrick remains an open question. The 45-year-old is now certain to lead the team into Sunday's home match against Aston Villa, but with a trip to Liverpool to follow, he likely cannot afford to lose either fixture. A defeat in one of them could bring the pressure straight back and leave his future in doubt before December.
Fernandes, meanwhile, answered his critics. The Portugal international had been dropped last month for the first time in his Old Trafford career after criticizing Carrick's tactics in a 4-1 loss to Como, but he drove the fightback with a goal and an assist in a return to his best form.
The victory may have come at a cost. Midfielder Carlos Baleba, a summer signing from Brighton, pulled up clutching his hamstring just 37 seconds into the second half and appeared close to tears as medical staff came onto the pitch. Youri Tielemans replaced him, with United already without Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw, although Patrick Dorgu did return to training this week.
Off the pitch, fan protests escalated. Supporters in the Stretford End released hundreds of green and gold balloons, the club's original colors, before kickoff and threw tennis balls onto the pitch, directing their anger at the Glazer family, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Jason Wilcox days after similar chants during a 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth.
