SportsOrbit

As Manchester United’s players emerged from the tunnel at Old Trafford on Thursday night, they will have perfectly well understood the magnitude of their mission.

They were up against a Lyon side unbeaten in their last 12 away Europa League games (W9 D3), since a 1-0 defeat to Atalanta in December 2017, and who had lost just one of their last nine European games against sides from England (W4 D4) – a 3-0 defeat to West Ham during the 2021/22 Europa League.

The Ligue 1 side were almost certainly going to prove to be tricky customers to despatch, even if history in the fixture favoured the Red Devils; on the previous two occasions that United had faced Lyon in European competition at Old Trafford, the hosts had won both times (2-1 in November 2004 & 1-0 in March 2008).

Man Utd’s players had a huge point to prove

United had also remained unbeaten across their 11 Europa League games this season (W6 D5), with the last time that they began a European campaign unbeaten in 11 matches coming in 2010/11 (they eventually went on to lose 3-1 in the Champions League final against Barcelona).

It may also have been in the minds of the players that United had lost each of their last two home European games against sides from France (2-0 & 3-1 vs PSG in February 2019 and December 2020) – after remaining unbeaten in the 14 matches prior (between 1965 and 2017, W10 D4).

Many players had a point to prove and it might be a surprise to note that Rasmus Hojlund‘s minutes per goal contribution ratio of 96 since the start of last season (10 goals, two assists in that time in the Europa League), has only been bettered by Mohamed Salah (80) and Bukayo Saka (88) amongst Premier League players to have recorded 10 or more goal contributions in that time.

In the end, finally, Ruben Amorim and his United side had something to shout about.

Old Trafford was rocking again after one of the great European nights, with the Red Devils’ comeback win earning them a mouth-watering semi-final tie against Athletic Club de Bilbao.

History made in extra-time at Old Trafford

Thursday night’s match was the first in major European football history to see five goals scored in extra-time, and any supporters that had made for the exits after Lyon’s fourth goal will have missed arguably the greatest turnaround in United’s history. 

It was epic in every way and only the second time ever that the Premier League giants have been involved in a 5-4 game (victory over Arsenal in the top-flight in February 1958 by the same scoreline being the only other occasion).

Harry Maguire’s goal was the first 120th minute winner scored in Europa League history and the first in a major European tie since Atletico Madrid beat Liverpool at Anfield in March 2020.

The Europa League has certainly provided Amorim with some much-needed respite from his squad’s poor performances and subsequent results in the Premier League and, in fact, United have now won as many matches in the European competition under the Portuguese coach (six wins in eight games) as they have in 21 English top-flight matches under him (W6 D5 L10).

​At 4-2 down in extra-time, the coach and his players would surely have been thinking the worst again, but when VAR handed United a lifeline from the spot, it was Bruno Fernandes‘ time to shine. 

When the going gets tough, the tough get going, and he is perhaps the one player who can be relied upon to give every last drop of effort in the pursuit of glory.

Cool and calm Bruno Fernandes began unlikely fightback

He was never going to miss his penalty, the 14th successful spot-kick in major European competitions (three for Sporting, 11 for Man Utd), and it put him in esteemed company too. Only Robert Lewandowski (20), Cristiano Ronaldo (20) and Lionel Messi (18) have ever scored more in European football history.

20-year-old Alejandro Garnacho also deserves a mention given that he’s now assisted four Europa League goals this season for United, with the only player under the age of 21 to assist more in one season being Bukayo Saka in 2019/20 (five).

The much-criticised Andre Onana, back in the starting XI after being dropped for the game against Newcastle, certainly earned his stripes too by making five saves in the game, the first time he has made at least five in a Europa League match since facing Porto on 3rd October 2024 (also five).

No player had a better pass accuracy than Manuel Ugarte‘s 96.2% (25 successful passes from 26 played), whilst the 10 times that Bruno and Leny Yoro both won back possession was far in excess than anyone else on the pitch.

In many respects on the night it’s noteworthy just how evenly matched both teams were too.

Both teams were evenly matched on the night

21 shots apiece, eight on target for United and nine for Lyon, 15 shots each inside the box, 39 touches in the box for the hosts and 38 for the visitors, six big chances for Ruben Amorim’s team and five for Paulo Fonseca’s as well as two offside calls each suggests the game could’ve gone either way, but the symmetry doesn’t end there.

Of 122 total duels in the game 50% were won by either side, and both made 23 tackles each in the match with United coming out on top in 15 of theirs, with Lyon successful on 16 occasions. 

Even the fouls committed (17 to 14) and successful dribbles (21 to 19) almost mirror each other, with the only areas where the French side were markedly on top being in possession (58.7% to 41.3%) and total passes (690 to 484).

As if to evidence United’s doggedness and determination on the night, the hosts won back posession 10 times in the final third compared to just once from Lyon, and perhaps that’s one of, if not the most important game metric of the night.

Unless you’re a Lyon fan, it was a match that couldn’t fail to excite, and the Red Devils have to use the lessons that they will have learned in the game as a platform to bring European success to the club this season.