Three Ways Man Utd Can Build on Magical Champions League Comeback
The obituaries were surely being written about Michael Carrick’s Manchester United tenure at halftime of Tuesday night’s Champions League clash with Roma.
The Red Devils, abject again, were staring down the barrel of a convincing defeat to stretch their winless run to 10 matches in all competitions. They’ve been historically bad at the start of the 2026–27 season, and their first half on Tuesday was some of their worst stuff to date.
A free-scoring Roma team merely needed to be competent to race into a 2–0 lead, and they could’ve been three or four up by the time Carrick’s players were greeted with a cacophony of discontent at the halftime whistle. There was absolutely no sense that the Red Devils were capable of revival.
But from somewhere deep within, United found something. A job-saving resurgence has breathed life into the Theatre of Dreams again, with Matheus Cunha’s two late strikes ensuring the hosts converted their morbid deficit into a euphoric triumph.
Time will tell whether Tuesday’s thrill is a turning point or merely a false dawn, with Aston Villa rocking up at a rejuvenated Old Trafford before the international break.
Here’s how Carrick’s Man Utd can build on their 3–2 victory over Roma.
Ride the Sudden Wave of Momentum
It was a classic tale of two halves at Old Trafford, and there was no grand tactical plan from Carrick in the second half.
Man Utd initially appeared ill-equipped for the idiosyncratic challenges posed by Gian Piero Gasperini’s side, who man-mark all over the pitch. The Red Devils were caught out time-and-time again, with a litany of technical errors plaguing their shoddy first half display.
They seemingly had no answers, which rendered their turnaround all the more staggering. In truth, it was an embrace of the intangibles that facilitated Man Utd’s improvement. The early goal helped, with the Theatre of Dreams emboldened by Bruno Fernandes’ conversion from the penalty spot after his first effort was denied, only for Bryan Cristante to be penalized for encroachment.
A meandering, apathetic performance then become one of purpose. The hosts snapped into challenges and played with a newfound vigor in and out of possession. Roma were taken aback, so easy was life for them in the first half that they had no idea how to respond to an upsurge in competence.
“This place [Old Trafford] does magical things,” Carrick asserted after the game, and it certainly seemed as if Roma had succumbed to the energy evoked from the stands. Sometimes, there isn’t a slick or sophisticated explanation for a drastic change, with United simply weaponizing the most powerful force of all: momentum.
Harbor it, and Aston Villa could be in trouble this weekend.
Hand Shea Lacey the Keys
Man Utd supporters have been frustrated amid the turmoil regarding the relative lack of opportunities handed to burgeoning youngster Shea Lacey.
The academy graduate scored his first senior goal during United’s Carabao Cup defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion in September, and didn’t feature for Carrick’s side until they visited Como on Oct. 21. United were 4–0 down by the time Lacey entered proceedings in the dying embers, and he subsequently featured off the bench in the 3–0 loss at home to Bournemouth.
Supporters endured 75 minutes of Amad Diallo, potentially half-fit, toiling one-on-one against Brazilian international Wesley. The Ivorian had absolutely no joy in his duel, successfully completing just two dribbles and failing to deliver an accurate cross or create a single chance. Carrick thus turned to Lacey for the game’s final act, and the 19-year-old produced a cameo worthy of optimism even if Man Utd hadn’t turned a sure defeat into a triumph.
Fearlessly direct, Lacey completed more dribbles (three) in 15 minutes than Amad did in 75. Wesley was all over the place as he encountered the impishness of youth, with Lacey’s subtlety and swiftness of movement troubling the Brazilian. It was a stunning pass from the teenager that led to Cunha’s winner, and Man Utd’s hero labelled his impact off the bench as “unbelievable”.
So many will be clamouring for Lacey to start his first Premier League game this weekend, especially given what Carrick has got out of Amad so far this season (one goal contribution in 448 minutes).
The kid looks ready, why not?
Matheus Cunha’s Got the Hot Hand
Carrick has been without Benjamin Šeško for much of the tumult so far, and Man Utd learned last month that the Slovenian international will be out until January due to his lingering shin issue.
The Red Devils have Joshua Zirkzee in reserve, but Carrick has so far preferred other alternatives to mitigate Šeško’s absence. Bryan Mbeumo has been the go-to man, given his impressive record as a center forward last season, but it might be time for Cunha to return to the limelight after his midweek brace.
Things just aren’t clicking for Mbeumo in front of goal at the minute, evidenced by his double-doink misfortune at 2–1 against Roma after Chelsea’s Mike Penders made an outrageous save from his stunning volley on Saturday. Cunha, on the other hand, is developing a knack for being in the right place at the right time, doubling his goal tally for the season on Tuesday.
It was a huge night for the Brazilian, and his rollercoaster performance was capped by receiving a silly second yellow card after his heroics. He’ll miss the trip to Sporting CP later this month as a result, but will be available for Carrick this weekend.
After having little joy drifting in from the left, both of Cunha’s goals late on came from the Brazilian occupying the box in a more central or even right-sided position. The first strike was opportunistic, capitalizing on a Leo Balerdi error, but his second finish was stunning, thumping an effort home at the near post.
Carrying the hot-hand, Man Utd need Cunha in front of goal as much as possible.
