The 10 Greatest Man United Comeback Wins In The Modern Era
When you think of stoppage-time winners, and comeback wins, you think of Man United.
The never-say-die attitude is ingrained in the club’s culture, and we’ve seen some unforgettable turnarounds. Here’s the 10 best Man United comeback wins from the modern era:
10. Manchester United 3-2 Atalanta (Champions League)
Date: 20 October 2021
Manager: Ole Gunnar Solskjær
United Goals: Marcus Rashford (53′), Harry Maguire (75′), Cristiano Ronaldo (81′)
After a surprise match day 1 loss away to Young Boys in the 21/22 Champions League group stage, United found themselves 2-0 down at halftime to Atalanta at Old Trafford on match day 3.
Marcus Rashford’s strike early in the second half sparked the comeback. Harry Maguire equalized, and Cristiano Ronaldo’s powerful header sealed a dramatic win.
The comeback win helped United to go on and top the group.
“It’s in the DNA of this club.”
– Ole Gunnar Solskjær
9. West Ham 2-4 Manchester United (Premier League)
Date: 2 April 2011
Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson
United Goals: Wayne Rooney (65′, 73′, 79′ pen), Javier Hernández (84′)
United trailed 2-0 at half time at Upton Park to a struggling West Ham side, with the pressure on at a crucial time in the 2010/11 Premier League title race.
Wayne Rooney started the comeback in the 65th minute, and soon completed a hat-trick to turn the game around. Javier Hernández added a fourth, securing a vital win.
The momentum from the dramatic win helped us go on and win the title that season.
8. Manchester United 3-2 Aston Villa (Premier League)
Date: 5 April 2009
Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson
United Goals: Cristiano Ronaldo (14′, 80′), Federico Macheda (90’+3′)
A young, and largely unknown, “Kiko” Macheda announced himself to the world with a stunning Fergie-time winner on his debut, in a must-win game back in 2009.
United trailed Aston Villa by 2 goals to 1 late on at Old Trafford, and were heading for a third consecutive Premier League loss, at a crucial point in the title race.
A Cristiano Ronaldo equaliser set the stage for a wonderful debut winner in the dying seconds of the game, by 17-year-old Macheda, to send us back to the top of the table, and a couple of weeks later we were champions over Liverpool.
7. Everton 2-4 Manchester United (Premier League)
Date: 28 April 2007
Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson
United Goals: John O’Shea (61′), Phil Neville (68′ own goal), Wayne Rooney (79′), Chris Eagles (90’+3’)
United had failed to win the Premier League in the previous 3 seasons (which was their longest drought in the Premier League at the time) when they found themselves 2-0 down to Everton at Goodison Park in 2007, knowing a win would put them in the driving seat for the title.
A John O’Shea goal on 61 minutes, and ironically a Phil Neville own goal on 68 minutes started the comeback, and further goals from Rooney and Eagles completed the turnaround and ensured the important victory.
It was a pivotal win in United’s season, and we ended as champions for the first time in 4 years.
6. Manchester United 2-1 Liverpool (FA Cup)
Date: 24 January 1999
Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson
United Goals: Dwight Yorke (88′), Ole Gunnar Solskjær (90’+2′)
The significance of this comeback FA Cup win probably wasn’t fully apparent until the end of the 1998/99 season; It was an important moment in United’s treble winning year.
Liverpool led at Old Trafford until the 88th minute, before Dwight Yorke’s equaliser and Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s stoppage-time winner, which foreshadowed what was to come later that season.
Many of the players from that United team credit the late comeback win as the turning point for us that season, giving them the belief and momentum to go on and win the treble.
“The season really started with the Liverpool game. Coming back against them in the last minute in the FA Cup was massive. You can forget about the first half of the season – you always do at United, you never remember anything – but that was the game that started everything. From then on, everybody was right and everybody was at it.”
– Gary Neville
5. Manchester City 2-3 Manchester United (Premier League)
Date: 7 April 2018
Manager: José Mourinho
United Goals: Paul Pogba (53′, 55′), Chris Smalling (69′)
The Noisy Neighbors had the chance to seal the Premier League title when they played United at the Etihad in 2018, and after dominating the first half, City led 2-0 at half time.
A quick-fire double from Paul Pogba in the second half, before a winner from Smalling, and an incredible De Gea save ensured the memorable win.
It didn’t stop City from going on to win the title, but it stopped them sealing it in the derby.
To make things sweeter, Mourinho claimed that Man City had prematurely printed t-shirts saying ‘We did it on derby day’.
4. Tottenham 3-5 Manchester United (Premier League)
Date: 29 September 2001
Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson
United Goals: Andy Cole (46′), Laurent Blanc (58′), Ruud van Nistelrooy (72′), Juan Sebastián Verón (76′), David Beckham (87′)
A remarkable game, and one of the greatest turnaround wins in Premier League history.
United somehow trailed mid-table Tottenham 3-0 at Half Time, having been outplayed at White Hart Lane.
However, United were a different team in the second half, and by the 76th minute, we had turned the game around, when Veron scored to make it 4-3. Beckham sealed the victory and ensured the comeback with a goal to make it 5-3.
“Teddy was the Tottenham captain and, as the teams emerged back into the corridor, I saw Teddy stop and say, ‘Now, don’t let them get an early goal.”
– Sir Alex Ferguson
3. Manchester United 2-1 Sheffield Wednesday (Premier League)
Date: 10 April 1993
Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson
United Goals: Steve Bruce (86′, 90’+6′)
United were on the brink of their first league title for 26 years, and Sir Alex Ferguson’s first as Man United boss during the Premier League’s inaugural season, when they found themselves 1-0 down at home to Sheffield Wednesday with minutes left.
Steve Bruce’s headed equaliser levelled the game, before his second headed goal in the dying seconds to complete the comeback, which sparked the famous scenes of Ferguson and Brian Kidd celebrating on the pitch.
The “Fergie-time” phrase was born, and we went on to be crowned Premier League champions, kickstarting Ferguson’s dynasty of dominance in the Premier League.
2. Juventus 2-3 Manchester United (Champions League)
Date: 21 April 1999
Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson
United Goals: Roy Keane (24′), Dwight Yorke (34′), Andy Cole (84′)
Another significant moment in United’s treble charge in 1999, 2 early Juventus goals in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final saw Manchester United 3-1 down on aggregate, and looking certain to go out.
A captain’s goal by Roy Keane, with a header, ignited the fightback, Dwight Yorke equalized, and Andy Cole’s late goal sealed an epic win.
Keane might’ve missed the final due to suspension, but his individual performance on that semi-final night in Turin was one of the greatest ever.
1. Manchester United 2-1 Bayern Munich (Champions League)
Date: 26 May 1999
Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson
United Goals: Teddy Sheringham (90’+1′), Ole Gunnar Solskjær (90’+3′)
It had to be this. Easily one of the most important moments in United’s history.
With the Premier League and FA cup already in the bag, we trailed 1-0 to a super Bayern Munich side, who could’ve easily had 3 or 4 that night.
No Roy Keane and Paul Scholes made things even harder, but 2 Fergie-time goals turned the game on its head.
Teddy Sheringham equalized in stoppage-time, and moments later, Ole Gunnar Solskjær scored the winner.
United completed the unprecedented first treble on that incredible night in Barcelona.
“I can’t believe it. I can’t believe it. Football, bloody hell.”
– Sir Alex Ferguson