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Ethan Galbraith can't help but smile as he recalls the nail-biting final moments of his team's remarkable turnaround victory against Nottingham Forest in the EFL Cup. That match ended with Galbraith briefly donning a fan's glasses amid the pitch-side pile-on.

As the match entered added time, Galbraith struck the post with a powerful shot from distance, and Cameron Burgess immediately slammed home the rebound before sprinting toward the East Stand to celebrate, with the crowd swarming the players.

Remarkable Recovery

This capped an unbelievable recovery given the team had found themselves down 2-0 during the final 45 minutes. Amid the celebrations, there was some minor mishaps. He shared, "There was a fan trying to get our attention and Josh Key and I were thinking: 'What's he on about here?' Then we saw the glasses. It was a funny incident putting them on. We are on the pitch as players but we're humans, too, so to have a bit of craic with the fans is always good."

Manchester City Challenge

That win earned a upcoming match at home against Pep Guardiola's side on Wednesday, a club Galbraith ran close at the comparable phase of the FA Cup with his former club in February. The athletic midfielder had an excellent perspective when Orient took the lead in remarkable manner, with the attacker's first-time shot from about way out going in via the bar and the opposition keeper. It feels criminal that it was deemed an own goal.

"You would have expected they would've given it to him for having a go from that far out," commented Galbraith, who began the game centrally before shifting to right flank after they changed tactics. That meant competing with Jack Grealish, with whom he exchanged jerseys, and the attacker was among the opposition who paid tribute to the way the underdogs played positively.

Guardiola's System

"Athletically they are exceptional but even the basics and simple things, they can just do it over and over again," he explains. "It seems as if they never miss a pass and they are adept at manage and neutralize a game. You can feel you're all right and then suddenly they will just fizz a pass past your midfield without you even noticing. You have to be alert every second of the game. It demands a tough attitude and attention just to stay in the game."

New Chapter

The Welsh side sought to acquire Galbraith in January and beat off competition to bring him in in the summer in a significant move. He made a name as a fans' favourite across a couple of years at Orient and has swiftly replicated that in south Wales. At the London club he joined forces once more with Richie Wellens, who earlier gave Galbraith his debut prolonged spell in first-team action on loan at a League One side from United. Then came a spell at lower division Salford, before he departed Old Trafford.

Growth Journey

"I was probably a bit naive going into professional soccer. I think a lot of players would say development squad matches is very different. Sometimes it appears play is circulated without serious challenge. You see few hard challenges. Once you start playing men's games you have to adjust fast."

International Recognition

He has demonstrated that development for his team and nation, performing well for Northern Ireland, who could still reach the international competition next summer via the qualifying rounds and for whom he has featured in the last several matches, including two matches encounters against the German national team. His former international manager, Galbraith's ex- international manager, gave him the highest praise, saying he was Northern Ireland's "little Iniesta or Xavi" given how he manipulates the ball and his ability to spot a killer pass.

Starting Out

This marks quite the ride for the youngster from the Queens Park estate in his hometown, just outside the capital, who grew up watching his father, the elder Galbraith, also a engine room operator, play for a local club.

Red Devils Debut

The player's sole appearance for the Red Devils came in Central Asia in 2019, a Europa League trip to the Kazakh capital, where they competed on an plastic turf and the stadium roof was sealed owing to the weather of -15C. "That proved to be a extended travel and it was freezing," he comments, chuckling. "The days leading up, the academy prospects worked out jointly, so that aided our adjustment. Just to join the main group and get a couple of minutes at the end was incredible."

Leaving United

How difficult was it to move on from Old Trafford, the club he transferred from aged a teenager? "The decision proved relatively straightforward, because I arrived at the moment where I realized I couldn't establish myself at the senior squad. I'm hugely grateful for the years at the club but it became apparent where I thought I required a fresh start, drop down the leagues and play first-team games. Now I'm steadily climbing the ladder."

New Environment

It is mid-afternoon at the club's training ground but Galbraith has somewhere to be at the early evening: a road rules assessment, another move in the direction of getting on the road. Until recently to the local area, the mid-twenties player was a regular in Swansea's dubbed player transport, a small coach driven by academy staff, Pete and Howard, which ferries players to and from sessions and fixtures.

"My companions include the Portuguese player, the Brazilian, the midfielder – a former passenger used to be in it but has got his license. It's pleasant to spend time with the guys but I'm planning to be the subsequent individual out of the minibus and on the road. Franco is known for his humor; he's always up to all sorts."

Fan Interactions

When he represented Orient, Galbraith would mix with followers on London's Central line after beginning his trip at his base. "I tried|I attempted|My aim