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Manchester United have rediscovered their comeback spirit since Michael Carrick’s appointment as caretaker manager in the middle of last month. The Red Devils were once renowned for their never-say-die attitude in games, best personified by their famous comeback win over Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final.
The club’s recent struggles have affected their performances on the pitch, and the fallen giants are a far cry from the team that dominated the Premier League under the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson. Last season, United finished 15th in the league table, 42 points behind champions Liverpool.
The situation prompted INEOS to invest heavily in the attack, and their efforts have been rewarded this season. Even before former head coach Ruben Amorim was sacked in January, the Red Devils had displayed marked improvements in the final third.
Recent stats reveal how the English giants have rediscovered one attribute that remains firmly embedded in their culture.
Relentless nature making a comeback
According to statistics shared by the club website, United have shown remarkable resilience in away games this season. On Saturday, the Red Devils rallied from a goal down against West Ham United at the London Stadium to secure a point thanks to Benjamin Sesko’s spectacular equaliser in the sixth minute of second-half injury time.
In the process, United added to their impressive run of comebacks in away games since January, securing least a point despite falling behind on four occasions. This run began from the 1-1 draw against Leeds United at the beginning of the year, where Matheus Cunha scored in the 65th minute to level the scores at Elland Road.
In the following game against Burnley at Turf Moor, the Red Devils found themselves behind in the 13th minute, only to go 2-1 up thanks to a Sesko brace, before settling for a 2-2 draw. The trend continued against Arsenal at the Emirates, which was Carrick’s first away game in charge, with the Gunners going 1-0 up in the 29th minute.
However, United managed to pick up all three points, securing a 3-2 win courtesy of goals from Bryan Mbeumo, Patrick Dorgu and Cunha.
The second-most away points from losing position this season
United have picked up six points from losing positions in away games since the start of 2026, and the number goes up to 11 when considering the entire campaign so far. The Red Devils secured 2-2 draws away to Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest from the jaws of defeat earlier this season, while also picking up that memorable 2-1 comeback win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in November.
Without those crucial points, United could have been sitting 12th in the league table after 26 games. As things stand, they are fourth and have a good chance of securing Champions League football for next season.
Premier League top-four race: 2025/26 Season
| Pos | Team | Games Played | Games Won | Games Drawn | Games Lost | Goals Scored | Goals Conceded | Goal Difference | Points | Next Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 25 | 17 | 5 | 3 | 49 | 17 | 32 | 56 | Brentford |
| 2 | Manchester City | 26 | 16 | 5 | 5 | 54 | 24 | 30 | 53 | Newcastle United |
| 3 | Aston Villa | 26 | 15 | 5 | 6 | 37 | 27 | 10 | 50 | Leeds United |
| 4 | Manchester United | 26 | 12 | 9 | 5 | 47 | 37 | 10 | 45 | Everton |
| 5 | Chelsea | 26 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 47 | 30 | 17 | 44 | Burnley |
| 6 | Liverpool | 26 | 12 | 6 | 8 | 41 | 35 | 6 | 42 | Nottingham Forest |
Source: Premier League website.
The Red Devils have shown great fighting spirit on the road this season, where they were in a losing position in 10 games, but have actually lost just three of them. Only Aston Villa boast a better away record in the Premier League this campaign, having picked up 15 points from losing positions so far.
The average points won from losing positions in the league this season is 4.5, with Newcastle United sitting on zero and Liverpool managing just one point from away games in which they have fallen behind. City were also languishing at the bottom of this metric before securing that memorable 2-1 win over the Merseyside club last weekend.
Final Thoughts
United secured 28 points from losing positions in away games in the 2020/21 campaign, when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was in charge. In the last four seasons, however, the Red Devils have a sombre record, trailing in 43 away games, and managing to pick up just 16 points in those outings.
This season’s trend, as such, is a refreshing change from the recent disappointment, and perhaps suggests that the club are headed in the right direction. With six away games left to play this season, including a blockbuster trip to Stamford Bridge to face fifth-placed Chelsea in April, Carrick will definitely count on United’s culture of comebacks as he aims to secure a top-four finish.
Featured image James Fearn via Getty Images
The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social
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