Nottingham Forest 2-2 Manchester United: Sean Dyche produced a dramatic comeback but Nottingham Forest were unable to secure a win at home to Manchester United.
A quick double early in the second half saw Nottingham Forest close to Manchester United at the City Ground, but Amad volleyed home a stunning equalizer. United could have moved into second place in the Premier League with a win, but a point would still be a welcome sight for Ruben Amorim, who was put on the back foot with 10 minutes remaining.
Casemiro gave United the lead going into half-time, but goals from Morgan Gibbs-White and Nicolo Savona within three minutes turned the game on its head. However, Amad smashed the ball onto Mats Sells from the edge of the box and the goal was allowed after a VAR check.
Casemiro had previously been given the freedom at the City Ground to send a free header into the bottom corner from a set-piece by Bruno Fernandes. However, the start of the second half was a reminder that the situation was not as hopeless for Forest as it seemed, and not as positive as it had once looked for their opponents.
Bruno Fernandes fired a shot at the foot of the post as United looked to equalize, but Forest continued to create form. Igor Jesus came within inches of making it 3-1 with 25 minutes remaining, but it may have been too much for the visitors to make a comeback.
Coach Ruben Amorim’s team entered the game aiming for their fourth straight win and got off to a head start. Benjamin Sesco is yet to hit top gear after his summer move, but although his shot went wide, he found an early target and showed some decent hold-up play in his early knock.
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Forest started to get involved, with Callum Hudson-Odoi providing a threat from the left and Elliott Anderson fighting hard in the middle. And while Nicolò Savona’s effort down the right side missed out on a promising opening goal as his final ball went wide, United themselves quickly continued to impress, with Amad’s deflected shot forcing Mats Sells to make a sharp stop.
United may have been expecting their struggling opponents to crumble after taking the lead just before the end of the first half. However, it was the other way around and Forest showed the fight needed to survive.
However, there is a good chance that the hosts will not get the job done and there will be complaints about handball in the build-up to the levelers. We will introduce the topic of mirror football from City Ground.
1. The curse in the corner of the forest continues
Last weekend, Forest conceded a goal against Bournemouth from a corner kick they probably shouldn’t have been awarded. History repeated itself this week, but things weren’t completely resolved.
There was no doubt that Bournemouth’s boots were the last to touch the ball before Marcus Tavernier’s Olimpico was taken out for the final time. The question now was whether Savona was able to keep the ball from going backwards, and many outside observers agreed with Savona that the play should have continued.
One thing is for sure: Forest should have approached Casemiro from the corner, just as they should have blocked Tavernier’s shot at the Vitality Stadium. Vulnerability on set pieces is not a hallmark of Sean Dyche’s teams and he is understandably frustrated.
2. Aim for the goal in style
Amad is unlikely to score more goals than he did on Saturday. The Ivorian’s connections were superb and Sels was helpless when the ball ended up in the back of the goal.
Forrest’s complaints may be about what has come before. The ball spun a few seconds before Amad struck and appeared to hit Patrick Dorg in the arm, but both the on-field referee and the video assistant felt it was not enough to disallow the goal.
United’s two goals were a cause for concern for Forest and they will have to show they are willing to take everything back. But Amad won’t mind and it could be a key moment for the Ivorian and for his team.
3. Savona’s Salvation
If Savona had to settle for that corner drama in the first half, he quickly got over it. The Italian isn’t known for his prolific goalscoring – he only scored two goals in Serie A for Juventus last season – but sometimes a quick reaction is all you need.
During Ange Postecoglou’s short tenure as manager, Forest’s players often looked lost and unable to form a united front. The Italian was one of many players who seemed unsure of their exact role during this period.
New manager Dyche is a man who builds up from the back for a long time, whether it’s in midfield or at full-back. Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic may seem the most obvious beneficiaries, but they are not the only ones benefiting.
4. Amorim finally remains the same
It took a year, but Ruben Amorim has finally named a Manchester United eleven that remains a fixture in the Premier League. While he may not feel he has enough players to implement his system, there are at least 11 players he can trust to do it in back-to-back games.
This meant a new start for Casemiro and a goal for the Brazilian. He may not be at Real Madrid’s level, or even the level he was in his first season at United, but Amorim has found a way to utilize him.
Amorim recently said of Casemiro: “I think he will give us a lot of experience. He is an example for everyone.” “Initially he was behind all the midfielders, including Toby (Collier). But he fought, worked and now he’s back in the national team. He’s very important for us.”
5. Ramen as cold as a cucumber
There was a moment in the first half when Senne Lamence was given a pass that was the closest a goalkeeper could get to a hospital pass. The pace of the United defenders caused the ball to fly in his direction, but he calmly controlled the ball and carried on as if it was no big deal.
He remained calm throughout the remainder of the first half and did not give the impression that he could do much in terms of Forest’s goals. But one thing is for sure: he looked unfazed the whole time.
United were said to be reluctant to bring on the Belgian, who joined from Royal Antwerp, from the start, fearing he would be under too much pressure in his role. But current evidence suggests he is exactly the right person.
6. The season is long
It feels like every week or two we’re being given a definitive assessment of where Manchester United sit on the scale of ‘already over’ to ‘all the way back’. Sometimes variations occur within a single game, and today felt like one of those days.
As always, this helps develop some perspective. The season doesn’t end in November, and there’s a long way to go for both United and Forest.
The challenge for managers is to cut through the noise and get the message to their players that things don’t change as drastically from week to week as some believe. This is easier said than done, but bosses who can do it are closer to winning.
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