ANDY DUNN: Forget it only being the Europa League - this was one of Old Trafford's greatest-ever nights

Just over five minutes into the second half of what had been, up to that point, best performance of the season, Bruno Fernandes tried to send Rasmus Hojlund clear. Nothing unusual there. Only he tried with a rabona pass.

Since when have Fernandes and Manchester United been entitled to start showboating? A long time ago. What followed showed you why they really are not entitled to showboat and Lyon took the game into 30 extra minutes and then, despite being reduced to 10 men, looked certain to win it after a stunning strike from Rayan Cherki and a penalty from Alexandre Lacazette.

But never mind the folly of showboating, what followed made it

With barely five minutes of regulation extra-time remaining, Casemiro earned a penalty that was converted by Fernandes, and Kobbie Mainoo struck a beautiful equaliser before Harry Maguire’s famous head applied the final blow.

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Cue pandemonium. Understandably so. Yes, this is ‘only’ the Europa League. Yes, it was ‘only’ a quarter-final. Yes, Lyon were not brilliant.

But the manner of a truly remarkable comeback at least spoke of a squad that is hugely committed to the cause, hugely committed to the demands of the manager.

And to be fair - before Lyon somehow managed to score four on the spin across normal and extra time - United had been very good.

In the context of United’s long-standing ordinariness, Manuel Ugarte’s side-footed opener was a thing of beauty, perhaps the best team goal they have scored for some considerable time.

The long ball from Noussair Mazraoui was nicely weighted and the short pass from Fernandes predictably clever but Alejandro Garnacho’s assist was the star of the show, taking possession at pace before reversing it to Ugarte, who had a formality from six yards out.

It was a move of brilliance that should be a trademark - rather than a rarity - at a club like this. It was a move that would have opened up any opponent, never mind one as limited as Lyon.

And such was their early superiority, United should have wrapped things up in the first quarter of this second leg.

But one of United’s many basic problems is offering chances too readily, and with a free header from Paul Akouokou, Lyon should probably have been level but the midfielder’s attempt gave Andre Onana the opportunity to make a confidence-helping save.

And after that, Diogo Dalot looked to have put United on easy street, collecting a Maguire pass and drilling home an impressive finish. It was a nice goal but also a measure of Lyon’s considerable limitations.

And they should have been further exposed by Garnacho soon after half-time but he contrived to waste a simple chance and United’s form fell spectacularly into a familiar trough.

First, they failed to clear a fairly routine free-kick, allowing Corentin Tolisso to head in and it was a similar tale of defensive ineptitude that preceded a Nicolas Tagliafico equaliser that appeared to go in off his thigh.

And Lyon actually looked like the team more likely to get a decisive goal in normal time before Tolisso collected a second yellow card just ahead of added time.

That didn’t seem to matter as the French team scored either side of the break in extra-time but then came a comeback that rolled back the years.

In the stands, Sir Alex Ferguson rose to his feet. No wonder. Remarkable stuff.

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