Youri Tielemans said Manchester United's stunning 3-2 Champions League comeback win over Roma on Tuesday night was a way of repaying head coach Michael Carrick. The victory came after Carrick faced increased scrutiny following a 2-0 defeat at Chelsea on Saturday, with the international break looming.
United's Nightmare Start
United found themselves 2-0 down inside 20 minutes at Old Trafford. Matias Soule opened the scoring before Donyell Malen doubled Roma's advantage from the penalty spot. United were fortunate not to be further behind as boos rang round the stadium at half time.
Second-Half Turnaround
In the second half, United pulled themselves back into the game. Bruno Fernandes' initial spot kick was saved by Devis Vasquez, but after VAR intervention, the penalty was retaken due to encroachment. On the second attempt, Fernandes fired home.
Bryan Mbeumo was unfortunate to hit both posts moments later, but Matheus Cunha bagged his first of the match on 83 minutes, capitalising on Leonardo Balerdi's miskicked clearance. Cunha fired in his second and United's third on 86 minutes to complete the turnaround. Cunha was later sent off for a second bookable offence, but United held on for three valuable points.
Tielemans on Carrick Pressure
Speaking to Amazon Prime post-match, Tielemans was asked about what this result could mean for Carrick. "There has been a lot of pressure on him, and that's how we repay him, with a comeback like this, big character, big fight," he said.
"That's a different question. The only thing we can do is stick behind him, fight for him and fight for the club. At the end of the day, we are on the pitch, and we need to show what we are capable of and, especially in the second half, we showed what we can do, and we turned up the gears. Let's hope this is a good turnaround for us and let's hope we can build on this."
Next up, United face Tielemans' old club Aston Villa at Old Trafford.
