Inside Ruben Amorim's team-talk that inspired Man Utd's madcap final minutes versus Lyon
Manchester United scored three goals in seven minutes to beat Lyon 5-3 and progress to the Europa League semi-finals, where they will face Athletic Bilbao
Ruben Amorim worked his tactical magic during the extra-time break to shuffle Manchester United's saviours Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire into game-changing positions against Lyon.
The Red Devils were trailing 3-2, staring at a 5-4 aggregate defeat with 15 minutes remaining in their Europa League clash, only for Luke Shaw to trip up and hand over a penalty, which Alexandre Lacazette slotted home in the 109th minute.
But then, United unleashed chaos, banging in three goals in seven madcap minutes to punch their ticket to the semis, where Athletic Bilbao awaits.
Lacking a traditional number nine, Mainoo stepped in for Rasmus Hojlund and whipped in a critical equaliser in the dying light of the match. Towering Maguire, pushed on to add more muscle upfront, thumped in the decisive header.
"At half-time in extra time, was to change the positions," revealed Amorim.
"To try to be really clear about the position of Harry Maguire, try to put Casemiro nearer the goal, Kobbie Mainoo near the goal, Mason Mount to cross balls and try to explain that we need to score one goal and anything can change," reports the Manchester Evening News.
"So it's try to push for the team. But it's a difficult moment and you have to be really lucky to change the game and I think that was the case today.
"You think it's hard (to come back) but you try to make some changes or try to push the players and force yourself to give energy to the players. In this stadium and in this club you always have that feeling that anything can happen and today was another day like that."
Maguire turned striker when United were trailing at Nottingham Forest a fortnight ago, nearly bagging an equaliser.
The 32-year-old's header against Lyon marked his fourth of the season and his second last-gasp winner, following a clincher against Leicester City in the FA Cup.
He also popped up with a 90th-minute leveller against Porto back in October.
Amorim binned off any chat about Maguire leading the line from the get-go. "To play a normal game, no. But in these moments, it's something that is really important.
"When I see Harry Maguire and I put Harry Maguire as a striker, I just see one guy inside the box, is he good or not inside the box?
"If he's in the opposite box, he's a striker, not a defender, he knows how to behave in that space. It's just to put different characteristics and different moments."