Video: When United overturned Olympiacos

David De Gea, Manchester United's stand-out player at Anfield last week, was also a pivotal figure when the Reds last went into the home leg of a European tie trailing 2-0 from the away match.

United were not expected to get through in the Champions League Round of 16 after failing to score an away goal against Olympiacos, with what was arguably the weakest display of 2013/14. Then-manager David Moyes admitted: "It was a really poor performance. We never really got going and we didn't deserve anything."

However, the second leg in Manchester, on 19 March 2014, could hardly have been more different to the difficult evening in Athens. On home turf, the Reds were fluid in attack and showed the fighting spirit associated with so many big European nights under the Old Trafford floodlights.

There was still the very real threat of Olympiacos scoring an away goal of their own, an event that would have meant United needing to score four times, but that's where De Gea came in. A stunning double save on 40 minutes was key - the Spaniard showed cat-like reactions to repel David Fuster’s header and then thrust out his right leg at the near post to stop Alejandro Dominguez’s follow-up.

That preserved the Reds' 1-0 lead on the night - Robin van Persie had earned and converted a penalty in the 25th minute - and the advantage was doubled in first-half injury time when the Dutchman side-footed Wayne Rooney’s low cross through the goalkeeper’s legs from close range.

Van Persie's second effort had levelled the aggregate score at 2-2 and his hat-trick clincher, just six minutes into the second period, put United ahead for the first time in the tie. This time, he curled home a free-kick from 25 yards that had Olympiacos goalkeeper Roberto fooled, rooted to the spot.

There were then some nervy moments to endure, particularly when De Gea was called into action again at his near post to beat out Dominguez’s blast, but the Reds held on to claim a fantastic victory, roared on by a vociferous crowd at Old Trafford.

More: How many times have United turned around a first-leg deficit in Europe?

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