Harry Maguire thinks that Manchester United was inspired by winning the “wildest game that I have ever played” by premature Lyon celebrations at Old Trafford Thursday evening.
Having made an advance of two goals at halftime in a final draw of the sensational Europa League, United went 4-2 to the 10 men in Lyon in overtime before scoring three goals at the end of extension to finish one of the biggest returns that Old Trafford has ever seen.
Maguire was the hero with a head in the 121st minute to give the Ruben Amorim team a global victory of 7-6 and send them to the semi-finals against Bilbao in two weeks.
The defender of England admitted that the sight of the replacements and coaches of Lyon coaches flowing on the field to celebrate as if they had already won the draw gave United an even greater incentive to retaliate.
“They thought they had won him, the way they celebrated,” said Maguire. “It gave us more incitement to reverse the tide.
“I think the worst feeling was that we thought we threw it, rather than losing the game at that time, and how we managed to get into this situation. Because even by going through the extension to 2-2, the momentum was back with us with the shipment.
Harry Maguire scored Manchester United’s fifth goal during an exciting evening at Old Trafford
Lyon thought he had won the victory after Alexandre Lacazette took them 4-2 with six minutes to play
Players, substitutes and coach staff joined the celebrations after the penalty
“I had incredible moments in this club. I have been here for six years now and I had a good time – some bad times too. I think this game has almost summed up my time in this club, to be honest!
“It was an incredible feeling to mark this winner in such an important game, in a game full of emotion and the craziest and craziest game that I have ever played or assisted, to be honest. I think the guys showed a great mind and fight at the end to dig and turn it over.
“ Of course, moments like this are something that fans can go home and there were probably people there in the stands for whom it could have been their first match or other, and they return home with a great memory of Old Trafford.
“This season, it was so difficult for everyone involved – all fans, all players, staff. It is just far from being good enough and when you get moments like that, and memories that you create like that, I think it is so important that fans go home with a smile on their faces.
“I don’t know how I would have felt if I came here and told you about a 4-2 defeat – it’s not even worth trying to think about it.
“In the game, we played well. The second half was comfortable, they had a lot of possession but they did not create a chance.
“Then they scored the first goal of nothing, really. It was the pinball in our box and they managed to put it and I think that with the season we had, in Old Trafford in particular, I think we started playing a little anxiously, a little nervously. It is understandable.
“ But we needed to see these minutes and to be solid, so to finish at 2-2, it was difficult to take, then nearby, we can obviously not be made on two counterattacks like that when we play against 10 men. It’s really criminal.
Maguire said that the Topsy-Turvy affair sums up his time in Old Trafford with the Red Devils
“But we showed a great mind at that time, because then, I don’t know what everyone felt, but I’m sure they were really disappointed and maybe we felt like everyone else.”
Amorim again launched Maguire at the front as an emergency attacking and he came Trumps with a fantastic head of the Casemiro cross to the rear post, just when he seemed that the game would go to penalties.
Maguire added: “You can see that we are probably short of attackers. If we have two attackers in the team in Garners (Alejandro Garnacho) and Rasmus (Hojlund) and they give everything there, I think Garners was on his last legs and that he was from top to bottom.
“So, I think we lack attackers – we have lost Josh (Zirkzee) – so if he (amorim) asks me to go up there, I’m ready to go. I consider myself a threat and I have the impression of being able to score a goal there.
Pending the semi against Bilbao, Maguire said: “It is important that we do it as well as we can in this competition. Listen, we are only in the semi-finals, we play athletic Bilbao.
“I do not know if people say they are the favorites to win the competition, but we will go with a great belief to win the game. But we are only in the semi-final, so we do not want to prevent the competition.
