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Ethan Galbraith breaks into a smile as he remembers the dramatic dying seconds of Swansea's epic comeback victory against Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup. That match wrapped up with Galbraith briefly donning a fan's glasses following the on-field celebration.

As the match entered added time, Galbraith rattled the woodwork with a long-range effort from distance, and Cameron Burgess immediately slammed home the deflection before charging toward the home end to celebrate, with fans mobbing the players.

Remarkable Recovery

The victory capped an extraordinary turnaround given Swansea had found themselves down 2-0 deep into the latter period. Amid the celebrations, there was some unintended consequences. The midfielder recalled, "There was a spectator sort of calling out and we were wondering: 'What's he on about here?' Then we spotted the glasses. It was a light-hearted moment putting them on. We are on the pitch as players but we're individuals, too, so to have a bit of craic with the fans is always good."

Pep Guardiola Test

The result booked a next round game at home against Pep Guardiola's side on Wednesday, a team Galbraith came close against at the equivalent round of the FA Cup with Leyton Orient in February. Galbraith had an excellent perspective when the underdogs took the lead in remarkable manner, with Jamie Donley's long-range effort from about 45 yards going in via the crossbar and the Stefan Ortega. It feels criminal that it was deemed an own goal.

"You would have wished they would've given it to him for attempting the shot from that distance," stated Galbraith, who played in the middle before moving to right defensive wing after Orient changed formation. That meant competing with City's winger, with whom he exchanged jerseys, and the winger was among the City players who complimented the way his former team approached the match.

City's Quality

"Physically they are very good but even the simple things and routine actions, they can just do it over and over again," the midfielder notes. "It appears that they always find their target and they understand how to dictate and neutralize a game. You can believe you're holding your own and then without warning they will just fizz a pass through a line without you even spotting it. You have to be switched on throughout of the game. It takes a resilient mindset and concentration just to remain competitive."

Swansea Move

The Welsh side were keen on Galbraith in January and beat off competition to secure him in the summer in a significant move. He established himself as a crowd pleaser across two seasons at Orient and has quickly replicated that in his new home. At his previous team he linked up again with Richie Wellens, who four years ago gave Galbraith his debut prolonged spell in senior football on loan at his loan club from Manchester United. Then came a loan at lower division the Manchester club, before he permanently left Old Trafford.

Growth Journey

"I was probably a slightly green going into senior level. I think many athletes would say development squad matches is very different. Sometimes it appears the ball is moved without serious challenge. You see few hard challenges. Once you start playing first-team football you have to learn quickly."

National Team Success

He has demonstrated that growth for club and country, shining for his national side, who remain in contention for the World Cup next summer via the qualifying rounds and for whom he has started the recent fixtures, including two matches fixtures against the German national team. Ian Baraclough, Galbraith's former international manager, gave him the supreme accolade, saying he was Northern Ireland's "midfield general" given how he controls possession and his knack for a decisive through ball.

Early Days

This represents quite the ride for the youngster from the Queens Park estate in the Belfast suburb, just outside Northern Ireland's main city, who used to see his parent, Stuart, also a central player, play for a local club.

Old Trafford Memory

The player's single match for the Red Devils came in Central Asia in 2019, a continental tournament trip to the host city, where they featured on an plastic turf and the venue ceiling was shut owing to temperatures of -15C. "This represented a lengthy journey and it was chilly," he recalls, smiling. "The week before, myself and quite a few of the young lads practiced as a group, so that assisted our preparation. Just to join the main group and get a couple of minutes at the end was unbelievable."

Moving On

How difficult was it to depart Manchester United, the club he transferred from aged a teenager? "The decision proved relatively straightforward, because I reached the point where I knew I wasn't going to make it at the top level. I'm extremely thankful for the experience gained but it got to the point where I thought I required a fresh start, move to a lower level and play first-team games. Now I'm slowly climbing the ladder."

New Environment

This occurs during the early part of the afternoon at Swansea's Fairwood training base but Galbraith has a commitment at 5pm: a learner's exam, another move in the direction of getting on the road. Until recently to his new neighborhood, the young professional was a frequent passenger in Swansea's dubbed team minibus, a minibus driven by club employees, the transport team, which ferries players to and from practice and games.

"I travel with the Portuguese player, Ronald, the midfielder – Melker Widell used to be in it but has got his license. It's nice to interact with the lads but I'm aiming to be the following person to stop using the bus and on the road. The Portuguese player is known for his humor; he's always up to all sorts."

Fan Interactions

While playing for Leyton Orient, Galbraith would travel alongside supporters on London's Central line after commuting at the area he lived in. "I tried|I attempted|My aim