United came from two down, and their chances were well above normal

Matheus Cunha scored twice late on as Manchester United beat AS Roma 3-2, having trailed by two inside seventeen minutes.

Roma were two goals up inside seventeen minutes at Old Trafford, and Manchester United still came back to win. Donyell Malen's penalty was the second of Roma's early goals. Bruno Fernandes pulled one back from the spot after a VAR check, and then Matheus Cunha scored twice in the closing stages. He was sent off in the 90th minute, so the final moments were played with ten men on the home side.

United had 53% of the ball, a little above their usual share at home, so possession alone does not explain the result. The striking figure belongs to Roma. Away from home they usually keep around three fifths of the ball, and here they finished with under half. A side used to controlling the play from the road ended up with less of it than the team it was facing.

The gap in chances is clearer still. Expected goals, or xG, is a rough measure of how good each chance was, based on where and how the shot was taken. Roma's total was 1.59, well below the 2.56 they usually reach away from home. They also took only 7 shots, where their away average is 16, so their attack produced less than it normally does.

United's expected goals were 2.8, against a usual figure of 1.03 at home. That means the chances Roma's defence allowed were far better than the 0.94 they normally concede away. Roma conceded three goals, where their away average is 1.7, and United scored three, against an average of 1.7 at home. The home side was not especially prolific this season, so the comeback came from quality rather than volume.

Cunha was the player the night turned on. He had four shots, won ten individual duels and was rated 8.4, the highest of anyone on the home side. Shea Lacey's pass set up his second goal, and Cunha's composure in the box was the difference between a point and a win. Roma's late substitutions did not change the picture in the same way, and the game ended with United reduced to ten.

The match produced five goals, and the average in this league is 3.7 per game, so this was a more open match than usual. United's shot count of 15 was only a little above their usual 13.7, which means the goals came from chances that were worth more, not simply from more of them. Roma, by contrast, had fewer chances than they normally have and still scored twice from the penalty spot and a counter, which is a useful reminder of how little ball possession guarantees.

That was United's first win in six matches, and it leaves them with three points from three games. Roma, who had won four of their last six, are on four points after their first defeat of the run. Both sides go into their next match with a record that looks more like their attacking strength than their results so far.

Player of the matchMatheus Cunha2 goals8.4

Rodrigo Mora1 assist7.4

Bruno Fernandes1 goal7.3

S. Lacey1 assist6.8