Manchester United were beaten for the ninth time in 20 Premier League games with a 2-1 loss to Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.
Here’s five talking points from the game…
Rashford is not doing what United need up top
Embed from Getty ImagesMarcus Rashford started as the central striker for United in the absence of Rasmus Hojlund due to illness but was well off the pace, despite getting on the scoresheet. His lack of physicality and effort to challenge with the Forest defence when the ball came forward was a big weakness for Erik ten Hag’s side and he was barely involved in the game at all.
Whether it’s a lack of fitness, fear of getting injured again or something else, this United side cannot afford to come to a ground like Forest’s where the fans are buoyant under a new manager and with the prospect of upsetting one of the big boys, and have a striker who does not put himself about. He equalised after a terrible mistake from goalkeeper Matt Turner and some excellent work from Alejandro Garnacho to keep his composure and pick him out, but his overall performance was lacking enormously.
United injected energy into the Forest crowd
Embed from Getty ImagesIt was an incredible atmosphere at the City Ground as has always been the case since Forest have been back in the Premier League, and they certainly did not need any more livening up. But United’s decision to confront Morgan Gibbs-White for a heavy challenge in the second half led to both sets of players becoming involved in a disagreement which injected the home support with even more energy, as did Andre Onana’s decision to wind them up by moving the ball further forward from the original spot for the resulting free-kick. The first goal followed shortly after, with the Forest players spurred on from the stands, and the atmosphere certainly played a massive part in their victory.
United’s midfield lacking tenacity and steel
Embed from Getty ImagesUnited boss Erik ten Hag opted to start with a midfield of Kobbie Mainoo, Christian Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes before replacing Mainoo at half-time with Scott McTominay. It was certainly a midfield aimed more at creating chances than the defensive side of the game but there was a real lack of energy, tenacity and athleticism in the middle of the park compared to Forest.
At least if they had created numerous opportunities it would be somewhat understandable but they did not do that either, with Forest certainly deserving of their victory. Sofyan Amrabat and Casemiro being unavailable is not helping matters but United’s midfield in their defeat to Forest was nowhere near good enough to be where they expect to be. The decision by ten Hag to take his deepest midfielder in Mainoo off for McTominay was also a strange one.
Forest look buoyed under Nuno
Embed from Getty ImagesThe decision to depart with Steve Cooper created mixed feelings among the Nottingham Forest fanbase given he was the man to finally get them back to the Premier League, as well as keep them up last season. But the appointment of Nuno Espirito Santo looks a very smart one and well fitted to the personnel Forest have.
He was known for his effective counter-attacking style of play at Wolves and that was on show for Forest’s winner, when a quick transition presented Gibbs-White with the chance to curl home on the edge of the box while in space, with United ill-prepared to deal with a counter.
Turner redeems himself
Embed from Getty ImagesNottingham Forest goalkeeper Matt Turner had a nightmare with the ball at his feet for the entire game, starting in the opening few minutes when he gave the ball away poorly before kicking it out of play and being punished for a poor pass to Garnacho for United’s only goal of the game, giving the ball straight to him before he did brilliantly to pick out Rashford. You can accept a couple of kicking mistakes from goalkeepers but Turner’s distribution was a big problem for Forest.
That being said, he redeemed himself late on with a couple of big saves to keep his side in the lead after Gibbs-White had scored, including a fine tip over the bar from Bruno Fernandes’ deflected effort late on. His kicking has to improve because when it comes to stop shotting, he did his job well.
