Manchester United were 2-0 down to Roma at half-time at Old Trafford on Tuesday night, with their own fans singing against the people who run the club. By the final whistle, just before 6am SGT on Wednesday 4 November, they had won 3-2 in the Champions League, and Matheus Cunha had scored twice in the last eight minutes before being sent off.
It is United’s first win in 10 matches in all competitions and their first since the 4-0 against Sabah on 10 September. The three points lift Michael Carrick’s side to 17th in the league phase on six points, inside the play-off places, though the rest of matchday four is still to be played on Wednesday night.
Roma were cruising
Roma scored with their first chance after 11 minutes. Rodrigo Mora switched the ball from left to right and Matías Soulé, alone in the penalty area, tucked it into the bottom corner. A few minutes later the ball struck Ayden Heaven’s arm in the box, VAR confirmed the penalty and Donyell Malen put it away.
Malen could not believe he had not scored after another mix-up in United’s defence, Senne Lammens had to stretch full length to keep him out before the break, and Leny Yoro made a last-ditch block on Mora. Bruno Fernandes and Soulé were both booked after a flare-up when Fernandes played on with a Roma player down.
Balloons went up in the Stretford End as the teams came out, the songs were aimed at the Glazer family, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and director of football Jason Wilcox, and tennis balls were thrown onto the pitch during the first half.
The penalty that was taken twice
United came out a different side. Carlos Baleba limped off six minutes after the restart, Youri Tielemans came on, and from then on the game was played in Roma’s half. United had 16 touches in the Roma box in the second half. Roma had none in United’s.
The first goal came in the 58th minute. Gianluca Mancini put a hand in Cunha’s back, referee Juan Martínez Munuera gave a penalty after a VAR check, and Devis Vásquez saved Fernandes’s first kick low to his right. Bryan Cristante had encroached, so it was retaken, and Fernandes put the second high into the net.
Bryan Mbeumo then hit both posts with one shot, and Diogo Dalot and Harry Maguire went close.
Cunha’s eight minutes
Carrick sent on Shea Lacey and Lisandro Martínez with 15 minutes left. With seven minutes to go, Leonardo Balerdi missed the ball in his own area and Cunha pounced to make it 2-2.
Three minutes later Lacey slid a pass through for him, and Cunha beat Vásquez at the near post from a tight angle. He pulled his shirt off and was booked for it. In the first minute of stoppage time he caught Balerdi with a late challenge, was shown a second yellow card and went off. United held on with 10 men.
Lisandro Martínez criticised the club’s hierarchy after the defeat in Madrid, and Fernandes turned on Carrick and his staff after Como. This time the players walked off with the crowd behind them.
Where it leaves United and Villa
United have six points from four games, with eight goals scored and eight conceded. Roma drop to 19th on four points. The top eight go straight to the last 16 and the clubs from ninth to 24th go into the play-offs. United’s next Champions League game is away to Sporting CP at 4am SGT on Thursday 26 November.
Aston Villa lost their perfect record at Camp Nou at the same time, beaten 3-0 by Barcelona. Lamine Yamal curled in the opener after seven minutes when João Gomes, under pressure, played a blind pass across goal, and Raphinha scored twice after the break, the first deflecting in off Pau Torres. Villa stay third on nine points.
