United secure dramatic comeback victory
United secured a desperate 3-2 victory over Roma in the Champions League on Tuesday evening. The result ended a miserable winless streak that stretched all the way back to September 10.
The Italian side dominated the early exchanges at Old Trafford. Roma raced into a shock 2-0 lead after just 18 minutes through a Matias Soule strike and a Donyell Malen penalty. The Red Devils were offered a lifeline with a soft penalty decision, but Fernandes saw his initial effort parried by Devis Vasquez. However, VAR ordered a retake due to encroachment from Roma midfielder Bryan Cristante.
Fernandes admits to penalty spot fortune
Fernandes successfully converted his second attempt to spark the remarkable revival. The United captain has now opened up about the immense pressure of stepping up to the spot twice in quick succession.
"I knew it was a big responsibility, it could’ve changed the game and we really needed a goal to get the crowd behind us at that moment," Fernandes told Sky Sport Italia. "The penalty is always a stressful moment, because it is just you against the goalkeeper and nobody else can help in that situation.
"I was lucky honestly that Cristante went into the box too early, so it gave me an opportunity to take it again. The second time, I decided to pick a spot and hit it as hard as I could without trying to second-guess where the goalkeeper was going."
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Speaking Italian again after Como media ban
Fernandes was notably permitted to conduct the television interview in Italian. This marked a shift in policy from the club's media department following a recent European disappointment. After a heavy 4-1 loss to Como, staff reportedly stopped the midfielder from speaking to the Italian press, despite his previous years playing in Serie A and Serie B. Now, he was free to openly discuss the current crisis at Old Trafford.
"It is a very important win, because obviously things aren’t going the way we want them to," Fernandes explained. "We aim to do one thing and we do another, we concede goals at the start of games, it is a truly difficult moment, but we must try to get ourselves out of it.
"I hope this can give us the confidence to go forward and do better, because there is quality in this squad. These are the same players as before, we have added some good quality over the summer, and we need to keep going."
Building momentum for the Premier League
The comeback victory could serve as a major turning point for the struggling English club. United must now attempt to translate this vital European momentum into domestic success. They will return to Premier League action when they host Aston Villa on Sunday.