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Ethan Galbraith can't help but smile as he remembers the dramatic final moments of Swansea's remarkable turnaround victory against Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup. That match culminated 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 speculative shot from 25 yards, and Cameron Burgess promptly hammered in the rebound before sprinting toward the crowd to celebrate, with the crowd congregating around the players.

Extraordinary Turnaround

The result capped an extraordinary recovery given the Welsh side had trailed 2-0 deep into the final 45 minutes. In the delirium, there was some minor mishaps. Galbraith explained, "There was a spectator shouting out and myself and Keysy [Josh Key] were thinking: 'What's he on about here?' Then we saw the glasses. It was a bit of banter putting them on. We are on the pitch as footballers but we're individuals, too, so to have a joke with the fans is always good."

Premier League Giants

The victory secured a next round match at home against Pep Guardiola's side on Wednesday, a team Galbraith came close against at the same stage of the FA Cup with the London side in February. He had a prime vantage point when his former team took the lead in remarkable manner, with the attacker's first-time shot from about 45 yards going in via the crossbar and the Stefan Ortega. It seems unfair that it was deemed an own goal.

"You would have expected they would've given it to him for having a go from that range," says Galbraith, who began the game centrally before moving to right flank after the team changed shape. That meant getting to grips with Jack Grealish, with whom he traded tops, and the winger was among the opposition who paid tribute to the way the underdogs attacked the game.

City's Quality

"Fitness-wise they are outstanding but even the simple things and routine actions, they can just perform consistently," Galbraith says. "It feels like they complete every delivery and they understand how to dictate and slow down a game. You can believe you're doing well and then abruptly they will just deliver a through ball past your midfield without you even noticing. You have to be switched on at all times of the game. It requires a tough attitude and focus just to keep pace."

Swansea Move

The club sought to acquire Galbraith in January and beat off competition to sign him in the summer in a significant move. He became a favorite as a fans' favourite across multiple campaigns at Leyton Orient and has swiftly replicated that in his new home. At Orient he reunited with his former manager, who four years ago gave Galbraith his initial sustained opportunity in professional games on loan at a League One side from United. Then came a loan at fourth-tier Salford, before he moved on from his boyhood club.

Development Path

"I was perhaps a somewhat inexperienced going into men's football. I think many athletes would say under-23s football is very different. Sometimes it seems play is circulated without much intensity. There are limited physical contests. Once you start playing men's games you have to learn quickly."

National Team Success

He has demonstrated that maturation for club and country, performing well for the Green and White Army, who remain in contention for the global tournament next summer via the knockout phase and for whom he has been selected in the past five games, including home and away games against Germany. The ex-coach, Galbraith's ex- international manager, paid him the supreme accolade, saying he was Northern Ireland's "little Iniesta or Xavi" given how he manipulates the ball and his eye for a decisive through ball.

Early Days

This represents an incredible journey for the player from the Queens Park estate in Glengormley, just outside Northern Ireland's main city, who was raised observing his parent, Stuart, also a central player, play for Ballyclare Comrades.

Red Devils Debut

His only game for the Red Devils came in Central Asia in 2019, a Europa League trip to the host city, where they featured on an artificial pitch and the venue ceiling was shut owing to conditions of -15C. "That proved to be a extended travel and it was cold out there," he comments, chuckling. "The preceding week, myself and quite a few of the young lads practiced as a group, so that aided our adjustment. Just to travel with the first team and get a couple of minutes at the end was incredible."

Leaving United

How hard was it to move on from Old Trafford, the club he signed from his boyhood team aged his mid-teens? "This turned out fairly simple, because I arrived at the moment where I understood I wasn't going to make it at first-team level. I'm extremely thankful for the experience gained but it got to the point where I believed I required a fresh start, move to a lower level and play first-team games. Now I'm steadily progressing again."

Life in Swansea

It is mid-afternoon at the team's practice facility but Galbraith has a commitment at 5pm: a learner's exam, another progress toward getting on the road. Prior to relocating to the local area, the mid-twenties player was a constant rider in Swansea's so-called player transport, a minibus driven by club employees, Pete and Howard, which shuttles players to and from training and matches.

"My companions include the Portuguese player, another squad member, Malick Yalcouyé – Melker Widell used to be in it but has got his license. It's pleasant to interact with the lads but I'm planning to be the next one to stop using the bus and on the road. His teammate likes to pull a few pranks; he's always up to all sorts."

Public Engagement

When he represented Orient, Galbraith would mix with supporters on the Tube after beginning his trip at the area he lived in. "I tried|I attempted|My aim