Nottingham Forest capitalised on Manchester United’s defensive blunders to secure their first win at Old Trafford in nearly 30 years.
Rasmus Hojlund responded to Nikola Milenkovic’s early opener for Forest, but Ruben Amorim’s side couldn’t find an equaliser after conceding twice within seven minutes at the start of the second half.
United goalkeeper Andre Onana made a costly error for Forest’s second goal, shaping to make a low save to his right when Morgan Gibbs-White shot from the edge of the area. However, Onana was beaten to his left, as the ball did not move as expected.
Moments later, Onana and Matthijs de Ligt failed to deal with Chris Wood’s looping far-post header. The ball bounced between them and found the far corner, with Lisandro Martinez also failing to react.
United captain Bruno Fernandes did manage to reduce the deficit after 61 minutes, but despite making five changes, the hosts were unable to force an equaliser.
This defeat means United have suffered back-to-back Premier League losses for the second time this season, following their midweek loss at Arsenal. Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest have climbed to fifth in the league, continuing their strong form.
Birthday boy Chris Wood makes history Chris Wood’s header marked a milestone as he became Nottingham Forest’s all-time top Premier League scorer, surpassing Bryan Roy with 25 goals in the competition.
The New Zealand forward has formed a successful partnership with manager Nuno Espirito Santo, scoring 21 goals in 31 Premier League appearances under the Portuguese, including 13 in just 16 away matches. Wood was unlucky earlier in the match when he missed a chance at the far post from an Ola Aina cross, but he made up for it with his crucial header.
This season, only Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland have scored more goals in the Premier League than Wood. After his disappointing miss against Manchester City in midweek, Wood was determined to make his second visit to the city a successful one, and he did just that.
Questions will inevitably be asked about United’s defence, with Onana, De Ligt, and Martinez all failing to prevent Wood’s header from finding the net. The outcome was increasingly predictable for United, but for Nottingham Forest, this was a much-needed return to form, much to the delight of their travelling supporters.
Forest’s long-awaited victory at Old Trafford Nottingham Forest’s triumph at Old Trafford marks their first victory there since December 17, 1994, when Stan Collymore and Stuart Pearce scored. This historic win will undoubtedly boost their confidence after a run of inconsistent form, having secured just one win in their previous four matches.
Reality sets in for Amorim Despite the initial optimism surrounding Ruben Amorim’s appointment as head coach, the reality of his challenge is becoming clearer. While individual errors cost United dearly, Amorim will be particularly disappointed with Forest’s opening goal.
United had conceded two set-piece goals against Arsenal earlier in the week, and Amorim had hoped for an improvement in that area. However, within two minutes, his team conceded in exactly the same manner. Elliot Anderson’s corner was directed to the near post, where Milenkovic outmuscled Martinez, leaving the Argentine stranded, and the Forest defender headed home.
Set-pieces appear to be a significant concern for Amorim as he looks to turn around United’s fortunes. However, the biggest focus will likely be on Onana, who has generally been one of United’s stronger performers this season. His failure to deal with Gibbs-White’s shot was baffling, and the goal was a devastating blow for the home side. The ensuing uncertainty quickly led to Forest’s third goal, and from that point, United were left chasing the game. Martinez’s volley wide in stoppage time was their last chance.
