Cooper was not happy with the officials.
Match report: Nottm Forest 0-2 Man Utd
That’s it for today. Thanks for your company and emails – goodnight.
Erik ten Hag’s verdict
Solid performance and a well-deserved win. The only criticism is that it should have been a higher score. [On the injuries] We have more than 11 players, and you wouldn’t say bringing in Christian Eriksen is a disadvantage. He played a brilliant game.
Both full-backs are important [in creating space for Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes]: to come inside, to go outside, the co-operation. I think we attracted them and created space at the right moments; the timing was good to pass the ball in the central arreas.
[On the first goal] It was a great action from Anthony Martial. He’s an incredibly good player – he can link up, he keeps the ball, his pressing is good and he can finish. But we need more goalscorers and I’m happy with Antony scoring a goal and giving an assist. He didn’t start the game well – twice he had to make a different decision and cut the ball back to Christian Eriksen – but after he came into the game and he was a constant threat.
He’s definitely making progress. He missed chances against Everton so I’m happy for him today, and he might have scored another if Aaron Wan-Bissaka hadn’t blocked his shot!
[Why did you play Harry Maguire on the right of the centre-backs? He usually plays on the left when he’s alongside Lindelof?] Not with me. Not this season. The angles are not good if Harry is playing on the left side; it’s difficult for him. Also, defending in wide areas on his left foot. I think Harry is very good on the right, and Victor can use both feet. He did a brilliant job on [Brennan] Johnson.
[Are you prioritising any particular competition?] We approach it game by game. What else can we do? We are United, we have to win every game; that has to be the approach. I know it will not always work out, and if you play so many games sometimes you get a setback. Today was a really focussed performance, and that’s what you need. At this stage of the season every game is a final because every time is battling for something.
Updated
Post-match reaction
Bruno Fernandes
We know it’s tough to play here. They can be dangerous on the counter-attack and we dealt really well with that. It’s a good win. [On changing position just before kick-off] That doesn’t matter. The main thing is that the replacement did a really good job, that was Christian. We aren’t just 11 players and everyone has to be ready. We are one of the teams where the subs have a great impact during games with goals, assists and giving fresh legs.
It was an amazing save [from Navas]. I said to him that he only saved my shots today! I also missed a header in the first half, but the result is the most important thing for me. We want to be in the Champions League next season.
Diogo Dalot
We were calm inside the dressing room. Players get injured, this is football, but everybody is ready and we showed that today. It was special [to score his first Premier League goal], and it was an important moment too – at 2-0 we were more comfortable in the game. [On his celebratory handshake with Antony] Yeah, it’s our little thing. He played a fantastic game as well, his rewards are coming now.
xG department: Forest 0.68-3.49 Man Utd
Has somebody tinkered with the xG algorithm? The numbers have gone up massively in the recent weeks. It’s almost as if it needs to be taken with a pinch of salt!
It hasn’t been a perfect day for Man Utd, though, because the chances of a Manchester City increased when Arsenal spaffed another 2-0 lead.
(Personally I think there’s a very powerful argument that even a City Quadruple wouldn’t top United’s Treble, because of the uniquely dramatic, euphoric, spectacular, nerve-shredding manner in which it happened, but I guess I would say that.)
Full time: Nottm Forest 0-2 Man Utd
Peep peep! Manchester United move up to third after an emphatic victory at the City Ground. Antony scored the first from close range and made the second for Diogo Dalot, who filled in at left-back and scored a very modern full-back’s goal.
Antony was excellent, Christian Eriksen was even better and Bruno Fernandes was the best of the lot. It would have been a lot more but for Keylor Navas, who made a few good saves and one outrageous one from Fernandes.
Forest had a good case for a penaly at 0-0, when the ball hit the arm of Harry Maguire. That aside, they can have no complaints. With a tough run-in ahead, they are in serious bother.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Man City | 30 | 50 | 70 |
| 3 | Man Utd | 30 | 9 | 59 |
| 4 | Newcastle | 30 | 24 | 56 |
| 17 | Everton | 31 | -22 | 27 |
| 18 | Nottm Forest | 31 | -32 | 27 |
| 19 | Leicester | 31 | -14 | 25 |
Updated
90+3 min Weghorst is booked for slapping Niakhate on the arm after a bit of a wrestling match.
90+2 min Great defending from Wan-Bissaka, who inadvertently blocks a trademark curler from Antony. That looked like it might have been going in.
Updated
90 min Four minutes of added time. For all their defensive problems, United are heading for a third consecutive clean sheet in the league, and a fourth in five games since they went AWOL at Anfield. And after a really nervous first half hour, Harry Maguire has played well.
#mufc fans chanting, 'You've seen Maguire, now f**k off home'.
— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) April 16, 2023
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89 min This is guiltily hilarious.
Antony's face when he noticed it was Maguire 🤣 pic.twitter.com/HDqZsw1U3K
— Dirty Footballer 👊 (@DirtyFootbaIIer) April 16, 2023
88 min: Forest substitution Jesse Lingard replaces Morgan Gibbs-White, who was kept very quiet by Casemiro.
87 min United break dangerously through Fernandes, who finds Sancho on the left side of the area. He cuts inside Williams – he’s had him on toast in the second half – but then blazes high and wide. It’s been another frustrating day for Sancho, who can’t seem to kick on at United despite his abundant talent.
86 min If it stays like this United will six points clear of fifth-placed Spurs with a game in hand.
85 min “I share Joe Pearson’s dirty little secret regarding EtH,” says Matt Dony. “I guess I know how a lot of fans of other clubs feel about Klopp. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve been on Twitter, I know an awful lot of people hate him! But he’s generated more respect amongst reasonable fans of rival clubs than anyone else I can remember.”
84 min Fernandes whacks an excellent free-kick just wide from 25 yards.
83 min Mangala is booked for pulling back Antony, who is having one of his best days in a United shirt.
Updated
82 min Here’s that Dalot goal. Wout Weghorst made a good run off the ball to create the space as well. It sounds like I’m patronising him, but I’m not – he’s done that a few times since joining United.
GOAL! Nottingham Forest 0-2 Man Utd
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 16, 2023
Diogo Dalot scores his first Premier League goal for the club 🔴 pic.twitter.com/0nxAbrtIqV
81 min: Forest substitution Emmanuel Dennis replaces Scott McKenna, which means a switch to a back four.
80 min We’ve criticised him plenty this season, so credit where it’s due to Antony: one goal, one assist, and a constant threat.
78 min: Man Utd substitution Fred replaces Christian Eriksen, who was majestic after replacing Marcel Sabitzer just before kick-off.
It was made quite superbly by Antony. He shuffled infield, 20 yards from goal, and then reversed a gorgeous pass into the path of Dalot. He marched through on goal, every bit the modern full-back, controlled the ball deftly on the run and slipped it calmly past Navas. That’s an excellent finish and a fine goal, Dalot’s first in the Premier League I think.
Updated
GOAL! Nottm Forest 0-2 Man Utd (Dalot 76)
Diogo Dalot doubles United’s lead with a delightful goal!
Updated
75 min This won’t end 1-0.
74 min United break and Antony’s cross-shot is pushed away desperately by the diving Navas. It could have gone anywhere, with multiple United players following up, but ran safely for Forest.
74 min: Chance for Forest! The corner is swung to the near post, where Felipe gets in front of Casemiro and de Gea, two yards out, but heads over on the stretch. He slaps the post in frustration. As Gary Neville says on Sky, he just got a bit too much on the ball.
73 min Williams’ cross takes a deflection, spins across the six-yard box and goes just wide of the far post. Before the corner is taken, Williams waves to the crowd to make more noise.
72 min: Man Utd substitution That’s Martial’s last touch – he’s replaced by Wout Weghorst. Martial wasn’t at his swaggering best but he did make the goal for Antony with a sharp run and first-time shot.
71 min: Great chance for Martial! United miss another opportunity to double their lead. Casemiro booms a marvellous cross from the right to the far post, where Martial gets between defenders but heads wide from six yards. He should have scored.
Updated
71 min It’s rare that a match is both intriguing and totally one-sided, but that’s the case here, at least in my head. Forest have done pretty well to stay in the game, as they did against Manchester City two months ago.
69 min Forest have had a bit more of the game in the last few minutes, enough to given them hope of a rousing finish. United have been stung here in the past: in 1984-85 they were 2-0 up after an hour and lost 3-2.
67 min Sancho slithers classily away from Williams, who pulls him back and is booked.
66 min Gibbs-White’s floated free-kick is headed wide from a very tight angle by McKenna.
65 min: Double change for Forest Sam Surridge and Orel Mangala replace Taiwo Awoniyi, who put an admirable shift in, and Remo Freuler.
64 min Navas makes another good save from Eriksen, who ran onto a clever free-kick from Fernandes and hooked a bouncing ball towards goal. Those two have been a class apart.
64 min This is the mighty save from Keylor Navas that kept Forest in the game.
What a save! 😲
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 16, 2023
Bruno Fernandes is denied by a brilliant stop by Navas 👏 pic.twitter.com/TVqAb2baic
63 min United look keen to put this to bed before Martial and/or Eriksen have to go off due to workload management. That’s fair enough, particularly given what happened against Sevilla on Thursday. I don’t think this game is over, even though the second half has been embarrassingly one-sided.
Updated
62 min There’s a precedent for Forest to cling to. Two months ago they were 1-0 down and being battered by a side from Manchester, and that ended in a 1-1 draw.
61 min: Now Fernandes hits the post! Forest can’t get out at all. Dalot finds Fernandes on the edge of the area, and his deflected low shot is pushed against the outside of the post by the sprawling Navas. A good save, if nowhere near as brilliant as the first.
60 min “Palace fan here,” says Bobby Dunnett. “Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself but I’m enjoying wanting Forest to win without worrying about how it affects us.”
I don’t think there’s any real need for the first seven words of that second sentence.
58 min: Just wide from Antony! After a surained spell of pressure from United, Antony runs across the line of the Forest area and curls a low shot just wide of the far post. At the moment, Forest are hanging on to their 1-0 deficit.
57 min Eriksen’s deflected shot hits a Forest defender, prompting a brief appeal for a penalty. I’d like to see that again.
56 min: WHAT A SAVE FROM NAVAS!!!! Fernandes takes a left-wing corner short to Eriksen, who eases it back to Fernandes on the left side of the area. He hits a vicious shot on the run that is touched onto the crossbar by Navas, leaping to his left. That is an outrageous save.
Updated
55 min This is a good spell for United. Wan-Bissaka has a shot blocked, then Eriksen’s cross from the right brushes the head of the leading Fernandes. I’d forgotten, in Eriksen’s absence, how well he and Fernandes play together.
54 min “As a Liverpool fan, I’m supposed to hate everything United, but I have been impressed by EtH,” says Joe Pearson. “Including your sow’s ear/silk purse ability, he had the great sense and strength to send that petulant, overripe prima donna CR7 packing. That gets extra marks in my book.”
I’d say the decision was straightforward, but the deft, diplomatic manner in which he handled it was really impressive.
52 min Williams’ flat cross brushes the head of Awoniyi, running away from goal, and Lodi can’t keep it in play on the far side of the area. Awoniyi has been Forest’s biggest threat by a distance, which may or may not mean that a Brennan Johnson equaliser is imminent.
52 min “Every time I see Lodi mentioned I think of Creedence Clearwater Revival (shows my age),” says Richard Hirst, “but maybe lyrics about being stuck and Lodi are appropriate given your description of the goal.”
Updated
51 min It’s been a high-octane start to the second half from both teams. I’d go so far as to say that the next goal could be vital. Payrise please!
50 min Sancho, so good in tight spaces when he’s on song, plays a give-and-go with Fernandes in the area and hits a low cross that deflects right across the six-yard box. Antony was again on his heels.
The resulting corner is played short to Antony on the right edge of the area, and he whips a trademark curler just past the top corner on the far side. Decent effort.
Updated
48 min “No disrespect to any players,” says Chris Lambert, “but there are executives that need to be held to account for Wan-Bissaka and Casemiro sharing the same team sheet.”
I think he’s had a good season, given his limitations, though I take the point and am now wondering what Roy Keane’s internal monologue had to say about poor old William Prunier during that game at Spurs on New Year’s Day 1996. (Mind you, Keane was done by Dean Austin for one of the goals in that game, so maybe he was too busy berating himself.)
47 min Forest appeal unsuccessfully for a penalty when Williams’ cross hits Dalot and then bounces onto his hand. They had a case with Maguire in the first half; not that time.
47 min “Can’t help but be disappointed, as a Dane, not to see Christian Eriksen hit double figures in assists and goals at Man U as he was every year at Spurs!” says Peter. “Are Man U using him correctly positionwise as to his proven qualities? Feel he has become second fiddle at Man U.”
On the contrary, I think he’s been one of United’s most important players this season, and at the age of 31 the deeper role suits him. Don’t forget, he’s been out for two and a half months. He’s a class act, almost faultless.
46 min Peep peep!
“I’ve seen Sabitzer play for Austria shortly before Covid and he was – in the parlance of a former MOTD pundit – woeful,” says Phil Podolsky. “Very fussy and useless in possession. Whether or not he’s now every bit as good as some on Twitter say, the progress from that to a starter for United is impressive. Never give up dreaming lads and ladies!”
I really liked him at Leipzig. I’ve followed them quite intently over the years and watched at least a full game and a half during Covid. Mind you, Erik ten Hag has an impressive sow’s ear:silk purse ratio so it might be his work.
Half-time reading
This is such an interesting piece from Tim de Lisle, often of this parish, on football and the future of newspapers. I can’t think of anyone on the planet, certainly in this country, who is better equipped to write it.
(And it inadvertently reminded me of this clip from the Armando Ianucci show, which contains strong language so don’t blame me.)
Half time: Nottm Forest 0-1 Man Utd
Peep peep! Manchester United have dominated at the City Ground and lead through Antony’s tap-in. Forest have been a threat from set-pieces, and probably should have had a penalty for handball against Harry Maguire, so there’s still plenty of scope for second-half drama.
Updated
45+1 min: Great chance for Fernandes! United should be 2-0 up. Eriksen, just outside the area on the left, curled a lovely left-footed cross towards the penalty spot. Fernandes arrived late, totally unmarked, and swerved a header just wide of the post.
44 min: Chance for Awoniyi! Gibbs-White collects a loose ball from Fernandes, leads a Forest break and tries to find Johnson in the inside-right channel. Dalot reads it but then miscontrols the ball infield towards Awoniyi, 15 yards out. He spanks it over the bar. That was a really good chance, even if he was under pressure from Dalot.
42 min Danilo’s excellent lofted pass is volleyed back across goal by Lodi, and Lindelof does well to head clear under all kinds of pressure from Awoniyi.
42 min Here’s Antony’s goal, which has given Manchester United a deserved lead at the City Ground.
GOAL! Nottingham Forest 0-1 Man Utd 🚨
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 16, 2023
Manchester United finally make their dominance count thanks to a goal from Antony pic.twitter.com/LapNiVivFw
41 min “I know it seems like a silly thing to point out (especially as a Spurs supporter) but Nottingham Forest v Manchester United just feels like such a throwback fixture at the City Ground,” says Harry Sherlock. “It would be lovely if Forest could stay up and remain a fixture - it just feels right seeing them in the Premier League.”
All we need is for Sheffield Wednesday to jump two divisions and everything will be right with the world.
Updated
39 min United are well in control now. They aren’t creating a huge amount, but then they don’t need to with a 1-0 lead. Crucially, they have kept Gibbs-White very quiet so far. It’s all set up for Jesse Lingard to score 12 in the second half.
37 min Awoniyi goes over on the edge of the area after a handoff from Maguire. I don’t think there was much in it.
36 min “Not so sure that Utd will make top four,” says Jon Leiper. “Of their remaining matches, there are no gimmes. Villa and BHA and West Ham are all teams on the charge, and Fulham, Bournemouth might be tricky as well - especially if Utd progress in one or more of the cups. I will be mightily relieved if they manage top four with the injury list!”
I think it’ll be a bit of a three-legged race, with all the teams dropping a fair number of points.
34 min For all his, a-hem, imperfections, Antony has two admirable virtues: he never hides, no matter how badly he’s playing, and he scores goals. That’s eight in 35 games this season, which isn’t bad for a young wide player in such an alien environment.
Updated
Fernandes, who has been quite outstanding, put Martial through on goal in the inside-left channel with a perfectly weighted first-time pass. Martial swept a left-foot shot across goal that was brilliantly saved by Navas, but Antony got in front of Lodi to force the rebound into the net from four yards.
Updated
GOAL! Nottm Forest 0-1 Man Utd (Antony 32)
Antony scores – and you’ll like this – a poacher’s goal.
Updated
31 min Or over the crossbar, as it turns out: Gibbs-White, striving for perfection, curls it onto the roof of the net.
31 min Danilo’s daisycutter from 20 yards deflects off Eriksen and rolls a few yards wide. That means another corner for Forest, and it’ll be going straight under the crossbar like all the others…
30 min “I feel for Sabitzer, hurting himself in today’s warm-up after he enjoyed such a sparkling night out with those two clinical goals in United’s previous match,” says Peter Oh. “Speaking of the Austrian, I’d like to point out a small but grating point. Every English-speaking commentator I’ve heard pronounces his name sah-BITZ-er. It drives me up the wall to hear that. The correct pronunciation is SAH-bitzer. Nobody says lin-DEL-of or eh-RIK-sen, do they? Feels good to get that off my chest.”
Hang on, you didn’t tell us how to pronounce your surname? (‘Oh’, etc.)
29 min For different reasons, Antony and Sancho have been disappointing in the first half hour. Martial has been quiet, too, though he has a bit of credit in the bank at the moment. Forest look comfortable, in truth, certainly when Bruno Fernandes doesn’t have the ball.
26 min I think the ball hit McKenna’s arm, in fact, as he wrestled with Martial and Maguire, so it would probably have been disallowed anyway. But it was another terrific corner, and Forest will fancy their chances every time they get a set-piece in the final third.
Updated
25 min: McKenna hits the post! Gibbs-White coaxes a wicked inswinging corner towards the far post, where McKenna fights with a couple of United defenders and forces the ball against the post! At least I think that’s what happened, though it’s hard to be sure and we haven’t seen a replay yet.
Updated
24 min Awoniyi runs the left channel, forcing Maguire to concede a corner. Forest look threatening both on the break and from set pieces, and as I type they have six players in the six-yard box…
22 min “Welsh/Liverpool affiliations notwithstanding, I’m a big fan of Neco Williams,” says Matt Dony. “But he hasn’t quite kicked on as I’d have hoped. He really did look like a star-in-waiting for Wales, and with the spate of retirements recently, we need all the stars we can get! Yes, he’s playing in defence in a poor team who keep losing, but he hasn’t shown the progress I wanted this year. Somewhat balanced out by Brennan Johnson establishing himself as a very good Premier League player, but it really shouldn’t be either/or. He’s still young, and still with bags of potential. I’ll be watching closely next season, wherever he’s playing.”
There are a few Liverpool youth players who I thought would have made more progress in the last few years: Curtis Jones is one, Ben Woodburn as well. The way some young players develop and others don’t is endlessly fascinating (and, in some cases, kind of heartbreaking). I’m still waiting for Jules Maiorana’s breakthrough season; he was the first player that made me do a little teenage hipster knee tremble.
21 min Another devastating cross from Fernandes, this time on the left, beats the diving Navas and flashes across the six-yard box. Antony was on his heels at the far post.
Updated
20 min: No penalty! Well, well. A big, inswinging corner from the right hit the outstretched arm of Maguire, who missed an attempted header on the stretch. He was wrestling with a couple of other players, but in the current climate I thought that would be given.
19 min: VAR check for a Forest penalty! Harry Maguire’s day goes from bad to worse – I think he is about to give away a penalty.
19 min “What seems to have been given very little attention is the fact that United have played more minutes this season than any other team across the top five European Leagues,” says Rick Harris. “Very noticeable that this is catching up with them in the last month of the season. The injuries to Rashford, Martinez and Varane are symptomatic of players having insufficient recovery time and pushing themselves to the limit game after game. I think top four will be a major achievement if they can hang on. Brighton massive favourites for next Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final as United have to play midweek in Seville.”
Personally I wouldn’t say it’s been given ‘very little attention’, but I agree that the season is catching up with what was already a fairly limited squad. I think they’ll finish in the top four, and they have a puncher’s chance against Sevilla. I don’t fancy them against Brighton though.
18 min: Good save from Navas! Eriksen and Fernandes combine to find Antony in the area. He faffs around but Fernandes runs onto the loose ball to smash a shot that takes a deflection and is beaten away to his right by the diving Navas. That’s a pretty good save.
Updated
17 min Niakhate wafts over from distance. Forest are going okay, though, for a team who have had 27 per cent of the possession. Fernandes has been United’s main threat so far.
16 min Antony’s first edge-of-the-box curler goes high and wide.
15 min Now Maguire is being sarcastically cheered every time he touches the ball.
Updated
14 min Poor Maguire is having a bad afternoon. He tries a 10-yard pass to Wan-Bissaka and rolls it straight out of play to prompt lusty, schadenfreudian cheers from the home fans.
Updated
12 min Johnson is back on his feet and play has resumed.
Updated
11 min Brennan Johnson is down after a clash of knees with Lindelof. It looks like a contact injury so hopefully he’s okay, but he’s in a lot of pain.
8 min Another wicked cross from Fernandes on the right is headed over his own bar by the stooping Felipe. Not that far over, either, but Felipe did well in the end because it was a really awkward ball. Fernandes looks extremely sharp.
Updated
8 min Yet another injury problem for United: David de Gea is moving gingerly, and Jack Butland is getting ready to replace him just in case.
7 min An ingenious early cross from Fernandes reaches Sancho on the far side of the area, but he declines the shot from a tight angle and instead turns to play the ball backwards. Eventually Dalot wafts over from distance.
Updated
6 min: Chance for Awoniyi! It’s been a cracking start. Niakhate’s long throw from the right leads to a game of head tennis in the United area. Eventually Awoniyi’s snapshot from eight yards is crucially blocked by Wan-Bissaka.
5 min “One more time for the people at the back,” says Simon Frank. “Forest’s promotion squad was comprised of five loanees, none of whom returned. Our keeper left for France and we had to fill not only half a team but also think about replacing 18+ players not considered good enough for the top of the Championship. Marinakis put his money where his mouth is, and while you can certainly criticise some of the transfers, you can’t blame management for not trying.”
So you’re telling me it’s nuanced? Don’t you know what year this is?
Updated
4 min The pace and directness of Awoniyi is going to be a problem for Maguire. I was going to suggest switching the centre-backs but Johnson is equally quick.
Updated
3 min Oh good lord. Harry Maguire is left one v one with Awoniyi in the Forest half, drags him down and is rightly booked. Harold.
Updated
1 min: Great chance for Sancho! United almost take the lead inside 50 seconds. Antony played a clever reverse pass to the underlapping Fernandes, who hammered a cross into the six-yard box. The diving Navas pushed it only as far as Sancho, whose slightly unconvincing low shot was kicked away by Felipe in the six-yard box. I’m not entirely sure it was going in anyway.
Updated
1 min Peep peep! The match is under way. United have started with Bruno Fernandes as the No10 and Eriksen alongside Casemiro.
Updated
Forty years ago today… Grimes was onside, and so was Whiteside.
Updated
Eriksen replaces injured Sabitzer
Yep, another one bites the dust: Marcel Sabitzer has a groin injury and has been replaced by Christian Eriksen in the United line-up. These are the revised teams.
Nottm Forest (5-2-1-2) Navas; Williams, Felipe, Niakhate, McKenna, Lodi; Danilo, Freuler; Gibbs-White; Johnson, Awoniyi.
Substitutes: Hennessey, Worrall, Toffolo, Mangala, Shelvey, Lingard, Surridge, Dennis, Ayew.
Manchester United (4-2-3-1ish) de Gea; Wan-Bisaaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Dalot; Casemiro, Fernandes; Antony, Eriksen, Sancho; Martial.
Substitutes: Butland, Williams, Jurado, Fred, Pellistri, Iqbal, Weghorst, Elanga.
Referee Simon Hooper.
Updated
Marcel Sabitzer has hurt himself in the warm-up. Christian Eriksen will replace him if necessary. If that happens it’ll be interesting to see whether Bruno Fernandes stays in his new position, with Eriksen further forward, or whether Erik ten Hag goes back to his autumn midfield of Casemiro and Eriksen behind Fernandes.
David Hytner on Antony
You’d expect United to dominate the ball today. But Forest’s front two of Taiwo Awoniyi and Brennan Johnson are extremely dynamic, and they will trouble United’s makeshift, slowish defence on the break. Casemiro’s battle with the excellent Morgan Gibbs-White will also be fascinating.
Updated
Bruno Fernandes on Bruno Fernandes
"I've said many times to the manager, 'I'm here to help, to be a solution and not a problem', so whenever he needs me to play in a different position he knows I am capable to do it, I want to help the team in any way that's possible." An absolute don. https://t.co/LFG2nGsw2z
— Daniel Harris (@DanielHarris) April 16, 2023
“Good morning from Pittsburgh!” says Eric Peterson. “I’m probably in a small majority, considering the equity built up in the Nottingham Forest brand over the decades, but given how their football-operations folks handled their return to the Premier League, I will not miss them a bit and in fact will be enjoying their descent into the Championship that is all but guaranteed to occur, no matter what the current table says.
“Forest took a squad good enough to escape the Championship and utterly decimated it in the name of bringing in hordes of players supposedly of Premier League ability, assuming that Steve Cooper would be able to form that into a team of Premier League ability. Not the same thing. I hope the lasting lesson of how abysmally poorly Forest handled their long-awaited Premier League opportunity will serve as a lasting lesson to future Championship promotees.”
I understand the sentiment, but you’ve made the tragic mistake of focussing on the present rather than the past.
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Erik ten Hag on the eternally confounding Anthony Martial
The last Premier League game between Forest and United at the City Ground was on 6 February 1999. It was 4-1 after 80 minutes, and then the greatest substitute in English football history* had some fun.
* Probably, with a very respectful nod to David Fairclough, Edin Dzeko, Olivier Giroud and somebody else I’ve forgotten and therefore haven’t really respected at all
It’s all over at the London Stadium. I won’t tell you the score, as I don’t want tO SPOIL IT LIKE EVERYONE SPOILED BLOODY SUCCESSION THIS WEEK. But it was a very good game, I can say that. Click here if you want to know who shot JR.
Updated
Whether Forest stay up or not, they should stick with Steve Cooper (in my sporadically humble opinion)
West Ham v Arsenal is the early game, and it’s a belter. Follow the last 10 minutes with Daniel Gallan.
Team news
Steve Cooper, the Nottingham Forest manager, makes four changes from last weekend’s defeat at Villa Park. Scott McKenna, Renan Lodi, Remo Freuler and Taiwo Awoniyi come in for Joe Worrall, Harry Toffolo, Cheikhou Kouyate and Jonjo Shelvey. Their bench include Jesse Lingard, whose last appearance at the City Ground was against United in the Carabao Cup semi-final in January.
Erik ten Hag makes three changes from the Europa League draw with Sevilla – all enforced, all in defence. Diogo Dalot, Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire replace the injured Tyrell Malacia, Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez. With Luke Shaw also absent, either Dalot or Aaron Wan-Bissaka will play at left-back. The United bench includes Brandon Williams and the Spanish teenager Marc Jurado.
Nottm Forest (5-2-1-2) Navas; Williams, Felipe, Niakhate, McKenna, Lodi; Danilo, Freuler; Gibbs-White; Johnson, Awoniyi.
Substitutes: Hennessey, Worrall, Toffolo, Mangala, Shelvey, Lingard, Surridge, Dennis, Ayew.
Manchester United (4-2-3-1ish) de Gea; Wan-Bisaaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Dalot; Casemiro, Fernandes; Antony, Sabitzer, Sancho; Martial.
Substitutes: Butland, Williams, Jurado, Eriksen, Fred, Pellistri, Iqbal, Weghorst, Elanga.
Referee Simon Hooper.
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Preamble
People are rarely implored to summon up one first push. In the field of human endeavour, the push that matters – the one designed to get us over the line – is the last one. That’s what Nottingham Forest and Manchester United need to summon if they are to achieve their pre-season target: 17th for Forest, 4th for United.
It’s well within reach – United are already in position, and Forest will be if they draw today – but both teams are seriously flagging. Forest’s form has gone to seed, with no wins in nine, and both teams have severe injury problems.
Forest will never be short of bodies but they have been without some key players like Ryan Yates and Serge Aurier, and United are on their last legs after competing on four fronts with a smallish squad. Just as Casemiro and Christian Eriksen return, so Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane and Marcus Rashford disappear.
There was good news for both these sides yesterday, though, with the teams around them losing. A win today would make it a dead, dead good weekend.
Kick off 4.30pm.
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