Manchester United will be favourites to reach the Champions League quarter-finals after a pulsating, topsy-turvy first leg at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium.

Behind after only three minutes, United could have been out of the tie as Milan squandered numerous chances in the first hour.

But they were level before half-time, and three-one ahead and cruising before Milan pulled a goal back to set up a storming finale, from which United were fortunate to escape.

Ronaldinho volleyed home the opening goal via Michael Carrick’s heel. And he, Klaus-Jan Huntelaar and Luca Antonini missed fine chances to stretch Milan’s lead.

United’s 36^th-minute equaliser arrived when Paul Scholes swung his right foot at Darren Fletcher’s cross, missed, but saw the ball divert into the net off his left shin.

Milan wasted further chances after half-time. And United made them pay for their profligacy when Wayne Rooney headed home substitute Antonio Valencia’s first cross on 66 minutes and converted Fletcher’s sublime cross eight minutes later.

Substitute Clarence Seedorf’s cheeky back-heel from Ronaldinho’s pass produced a frantic finale. And Filipo Inzaghi and Tiago Silva added to Milan’s litany of misses.

Carrick was sent-off in stoppage time when he received his second booking, for kicking the ball away.