Manchester United stun Roma with 3-2 comeback as Cunha seals Carrick reprieve

Manchester United produced a dramatic Champions League comeback at Old Trafford, overturning a two-goal deficit to beat Roma 3-2 and ease the pressure on manager Michael Carrick.

Roma had looked the superior side for long spells, with Matias Soule opening the scoring inside 12 minutes after being afforded space near the United box, according to Metro Football. Donyell Malen then doubled the visitors' lead from the penalty spot after Ayden Heaven was penalised for blocking a shot with his arm.

United were booed off at half-time, with the Guardian's David Hytner reporting that the scoreline had flattered the hosts amid an atmosphere of continued fan anger towards the club's ownership.

Peter Schmeichel, speaking to CBS Sports, said he felt "so sad about what I had seen in that first 45 minutes because it was bad, it was bad."

Carlos Baleba went off injured early in the second half and was replaced by summer signing Youri Tielemans, a change Schmeichel credited with transforming the contest. "It's about time we did something like this," the United legend said. "Manchester United did that type of thing time and time again in the past but it's been so long."

Bruno Fernandes gave United a route back into the tie just before the hour mark, converting a retaken penalty to spark the revival, Yahoo Sports reported.

The equaliser arrived through Matheus Cunha, who capitalised on an error from Roma's Leonardo Balerdi before the Brazilian forward smashed in the winner at the near post to complete his double.

The decisive goal was set up by 19-year-old academy graduate Shea Lacey, who had replaced Amad Diallo in the 75th minute and delivered the assist in only his tenth senior appearance for the club.

Carrick praised the teenager's composure after the match. "Not going too over the top, but at the same time absolutely delighted for Shea," he said. "We love him to bits. He's a great young man, he's desperate to do well, he's got great ability. So in terms of coming inside and finding the pass, that's not surprising. He's got that little glint in his eye, he plays with a bit of mischief, if you like, so he's always looking to have that."

The United manager also highlighted Lacey's defensive contribution late on, saying: "But I was just as happy seeing him defending as a right-back when we needed that in the moments when as a rounded footballer, you've got to be able to do that."

The win ended a nine-match winless run and arrested United's worst start to a season since the 1980s, a sequence of results that had left Carrick's position under scrutiny, according to Metro Football.

The Guardian noted the result carried echoes of Carrick's own playing career at the club, recalling his two-goal contribution to a 7-1 Champions League quarter-final win over Roma in 2007 - a night he enjoyed as a player long before Wednesday's drama as a manager fighting for his job.

For now, the comeback buys Carrick breathing room, with United's response after the break offering evidence that the squad can still produce the fight that had been missing during the losing run.