Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand believes the team can win the Europa League after their “miracle” to overcome Lyon with a sensational 5-4 win in the dying minutes of the game. The Red Devils looked to be crashing out after going 4-2 down to the French side, who had 10 men before rallying to reach the semi-finals on one of the most memorable nights Old Trafford has seen.
Manuel Ugarte and Diogo Dalot’s had put United ahead in the first half before those goals were cancelled out by Corentin Tolisso and Nicolas Tagliafico.
Lyon then stunned United after Rayan Cherki and Alexandre Lacazette’s penalty put the away side ahead..
But there was still time for United to summon up a late and remarkable turnaround as captain Bruno Fernandes pulled one back from the spot before Harry Maguire popped up at the end to bury home the winning goal to take them to the semi-finals.
Ferdinand was delirious in the commentary box and couldn’t believe what he was seeing, hailing United for rallying to victory and suggesting they could now go on to win it.
“I said it would take more than a miracle to turn this game around and they managed to create that,” he said on TNT Sports. “This football club is steeped in history of big moments and magic moments.
“I’ve never seen anything like that as a spectator. It was an amazing thing. We saw so many fans leaving when it was 4-2 and you thought that was over.
“That connection with the fans was there for everyone to see. Is Man Utd’s name on that trophy? After today you’d be a hard man to argue against that.”
Ferdinand’s gushing praise was a stark contrast to some stern criticism for his old side just 10 minutes earlier after they had fallen behind and relinquished their 2-0 lead, slamming the team as “embarrasing”.
He said: “They’ve deserved this. This has been a humongous capitulation. It’s been an embarrassment. This has been an embarrassment. Ten men they have gone down to and they have become stronger. They have overrun and overpowered Manchester United.”
Match-winner Maguire summed up the feelings going through United players’ heads after going from agony to ecstasy at Old Trafford. He told TNT Sports: “Obviously it’s an incredible game, we made really hard work of it. We had full control in the second half, had chances to score a third, then they scored out of no where. It put us on the back foot.
“To go down 4-2 in extra-time to 10 men is not good enough, we opened ourselves too much. But we dug in and showed great spirit, that’s what this stadium does.”
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