Manchester United players did what their tifo promised vs Lyon in the most extraordinary way

'Never gonna stop!' read the inaugural Old Trafford tifo that adorned the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand. Not even the worst Manchester United team in 51 years has stopped.

If they are one of the worst, they have conjured up one of this great club's best nights. For sheer improbability and audacity, this runs Barcelona 1999 close.

The tifo bore the images of the five United captains hoisting the five European trophies chiselled onto the clubs' honours board. There could be a sixth next month.

It was such a torturous night for United fans they did not even air ‘Cause United are going to Bilbao’. But they are, in the semi-finals. And then maybe the final.

Ruben Amorim knelt down at half-time in extra time, fidgeting with a tactics board. A prayer mat may have been more appropriate. If he sought a favour from the Almighty, he got one.

United were reduced to taking their only striker off for a midfielder and putting Harry Maguire up front. The midfielder, Kobbie Mainoo, levelled the tie. Maguire won it. This was classic United. All hands to the pump. Throwing everything at it.

Lyon’s analysts were so convinced of victory they were the most unabashed in their celebrations to have occupied those seats. Two intrepid United fans did not hold back when Mainoo equalised. They almost tripped down the gangway when Maguire connected in the 121st minute.

This was shaping up to be Amorim's worst night yet with United. From United's second goal onwards, he seemed to get every major decision wrong. He was neither proactive nor reactive with his changes. The perkier Portuguese in the dugout was Paulo Fonseca, rejected by Tottenham four years ago.

Instead it was Amorim’s best so far. For the emotion. For the comeback. It was only when United abandoned any shape, system or logic that they salvaged the tie and their season. Hitting the big man was a hit.

United's Europa League love affair continues to blossom in the spring. Men in hi-vis jackets were on the roof to remove the tifo strapping. They better have come down before Mainoo's 120th-minute leveller. The roof threatened to come off.

Measures were taken to amplify the Old Trafford atmosphere and the players ensured the noise seldom quietened. Music was switched off 15 minutes before kick-off, which should be de rigueur at the historic stadium. It will host an 18th in May.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s ‘we didn’t make it easy for ourselves’ mantra does not quite do United justice. Alejandro Garnacho's shoddy shot at 2-0 would have killed the contest. Instead, the match meandered and some careless defending was punished by Corentin Tolisso. Lyon fans had already lit flares and then had an extra spark.

Luke Shaw replaced Noussair Mazraoui at half-time. Victor Lindelof initially emerged to warm up before Amorim opted for Shaw. Shaw was not the most lithe in his first half of football since the European Championship final nine months ago and the enforced change almost wrecked United’s campaign.

Amorim was too dormant in the second half. With United flagging, Lyon levelled through Nicolas Tagliafico. Amorim was still unmoved, even as five substitutes warmed up.

Suddenly, the crowd were anxious and impatient. Fernandes outstretched his arms and preached calm. Amorim eventually turned to Mason Mount and Kobbie Mainoo. He did not have a central midfielder to replace Manuel Ugarte or a striker to come on for Rasmus Hojlund. Chido Obi's omission from the European squad remains a glaring oversight.

Tolisso's accidental trip elicited a second yellow card. The Lyon analysts were on their feet and on the phone to their colleagues in the dugout to demand a VAR intervention.

Lyon fans rallied their players with a rendition of La Marseillaise during the stoppage before the additional 30 minutes. The United followers were too nervous to air Eric Cantona's name to the tune, as they usually would. Shockingly, Lyon went 4-2 up in extra time.

They were hollering 'Bruno' during the warm-up as he took corners. That chant was a recurring theme of United's evening as their supporters paid ode to their protagonist. Fernandes belongs in more esteemed company at United and his drive to save this season is comparable with Bryan Robson.

Cantona was denied great goals by the crossbar at Stamford Bridge in 1993 and the City Ground in 1996. Fernandes' volley was comparable, an attempt so audacious that thousands of United fans rose to their feet to applaud the effort. Cantona was afforded such treatment, too.

Diogo Dalot, responsible for the perceptive pass Fernandes got on the end of, went one better with his auxiliary striker's strike on the cusp of half-time. For the second week running, a defender provided a forward's finish for United in the Lyon penalty area.

Dalot's darts to the tip of the arrow offered United an innovative attacking outlet under Erik ten Hag. They have been scarce under Amorim but the United wingers have become more involved in the final third in recent weeks and this was the second Old Trafford European tie running that Dalot got on the scoresheet.

Patrick Dorgu, becoming a reliable method of service, could feel disappointed that Hojlund did not get on the end of his cross. Hojlund was unhappy with an Ugarte pass seconds earlier and his body language was more sheepish as he sat on the turf.

Hojlund lambasted Garnacho for refusing to pass in the 26th minute. Garnacho's charge reduced Hojlund's movement to that of a decoy run and it was hardly the most egregious act of selfishness from the winger. It did not augur well for Hojlund, sensitive about his lack of service, that he was so overemotional so early. He kicked the post in the 58th minute after Garnacho ignored him again.

It is now one goal in 27 club games but Hojlund's performance was an improvement on his domestic outings. His hold-up play was more polished and his deft flicks accelerated some United attacks. It was a mistake to remove him.

Lyon were living up to Andre Onana's billing that United are "way better" until Leny Yoro let Rayan Cherki run away from him. Cherki was unchallenged on a later surge before he shot too close to Onana.

After a lazy first sprint with Cherki, Yoro outsprinted him the second time. Even lazier was his attempted flick away from goal that Ainsley Maitland-Niles failed to capitalise on.

Yoro has never been as attack-minded for United as he has over the two legs against Lyon and if United are to truly master Amorim's system then one of the three centre halves has to maraud into enemy territory. Yoro, with his athleticism and pace, has it in his locker.

There was encouraging applause for Onana upon his emergence for the warm-up - and an audible smattering of boos from the handful of Lyon fans in their seats. The playlist soon switched to Rihanna's 'What's My Name?' Its chorus: "Oh-na-na, what's my name?"

Onana gave the Scoreboard End the thumbs up as he approached his goalmouth at kick-off. He might have considered offering the Lyon following some different sign language as he savoured Ugarte's goal in front of them. He paid them another visit

Lyon coach Fonseca continued to be a spoilsport, benching Nemanja Matic again. Matic exchanged some words with Paul Scholes and Rio Ferdinand by the centre circle as the pundits observed the teams' warm-ups.

Matic was nearly on the pitch as Alexandre Lacazette celebrated his penalty to make it 4-2. When Maguire stooped, Onana dashed over to Amorim and they embraced.

They looked like they were never going to stop.

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