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Manchester United rally past Roma to end nine-game winless run
Manchester United came from two goals behind to beat Roma, ending a nine-game winless run and giving head coach Michael Carrick a possible reprieve. The result followed a poor first half, but the team improved after the break, prompting debate over whether fans should focus on the comeback or the weaknesses that preceded it.
Roma led 2-0 before United fought back, with a penalty described as fortunate and the visitors noted for having previously surrendered two-goal leads in the competition. Former United players Nicky Butt, Ashley Young and Wayne Rooney criticised the first-half display, while Rooney praised the second-half effort. Another home win against Aston Villa on Sunday could strengthen Carrick’s position and complicate plans by the club’s increasingly unpopular leadership to dismiss him during the international break.
In short
- United ended a nine-game winless run by beating Roma.
- Carrick may have earned more time as head coach.
- A win over Aston Villa could intensify pressure on the club’s leadership.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The comeback ended a nine-game winless run and showed that the players could respond under pressure, with their improved second-half performance giving supporters reason to take encouragement from the result. Another win against Aston Villa could reinforce the case for giving Carrick more time and stability to build on that response.
The case against
The comeback does not erase a poor first half in which United fell two goals behind, and a fortunate penalty helped turn the match. Critics can reasonably argue that one result, especially against a Roma side with a record of surrendering leads, is not enough to settle concerns about United’s consistency or Carrick’s suitability.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “Manchester United’s unlikely one-match winning streak and hard-to-please fans”.