Dalot says United's two-goal comeback against Roma can 'change the season'

Diogo Dalot has urged Manchester United to treat their dramatic 3-2 Champions League victory over Roma at Old Trafford on Tuesday as a turning point, insisting that nights like this can “change seasons” for a squad that had gone nine matches without a win.

United trailed by two goals before Bruno Fernandes’ retaken penalty sparked the recovery. Substitute Matheus Cunha then scored twice in the closing stages to complete a stunning fightback under manager Michael Carrick, with Roma also finishing the match with ten men.

The result offers a rare lift for a side enduring their worst start to a Premier League season since 1986. United sit 17th in the table, separated from the relegation zone only by goal difference, and the winless run had cast a shadow over Carrick’s short tenure.

“I think we came with the right attitude,” Dalot said after the final whistle. “We did pretty much everything that we needed to do to turn the game on, and it’s moments like this, it’s nights like this that can change momentum, and hopefully we can change ours.”

The Portuguese full-back was candid about the pressure bearing down on everyone at the club. “Not just the manager, everyone is under pressure. When you don’t win games for this football club, every moment, every person, everyone involved gets under pressure, and we felt it obviously, because we’re not near good enough of what we should have done.”

Dalot acknowledged that Roma’s early two-goal advantage paradoxically freed United. “It left us with nothing more to lose,” he said — a mindset he believes must now carry into Sunday’s Premier League visit of Aston Villa to Old Trafford.

A win against Villa would give United back-to-back victories for the first time this season and provide breathing space heading into the international break. Another defeat, however, would intensify scrutiny on Carrick and the club’s broader direction.

“The only way for us to get out is by winning football games,” Dalot said. “Nights like this give you an extra confidence that make you believe that you can create these moments — not just for us, but for the fans. It’s important for everyone around the club to feel that we care, that we want to turn this around.”