Manchester United moved up to third place in the Premier League with a 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest this evening.
Antony was the first to react to Anthony Martial’s saved shot after being played through it on goal by Bruno Fernandes, and he bundled it over the line.
Erik ten Hag’s men would have to wait until the second half to double our advantage, as Antony turned supplier to set up Diogo Dalot, who beat Keylor Navas between both the posts with excellent composure.
As United looked to get off to a fast start at The City Ground, Fernandes fizzed the ball at Navas, who could only counter attack it into the path of Sancho.
After a teasing ball into the box was supposed to head behind by Felipe, Forest’s Brazilian defender was millimetres from turning it into his own net.
Despite a strong start by United, the hosts were only refused an early goal by the woodwork. Scott McKenna towered over the penalty area, but his header was deflected by the post. Moments later, Danilo fired from distance, but his shot was deflected off Christian Eriksen and dragged wide, and Forest failed to convert on the resulting corner.
Following a brief period of possession by the hosts, it was the Reds who struck first to open the scoring. Martial was instrumental in setting up the goal, winning the ball high up the pitch and then finding Fernandes with a pass. Our no.8 quickly returned the favour by putting our no.9 through on goal, but Navas was up to the task once more. On this occasion, even so, Antony was the first to react and grouped the ball over the line of an open net to put United ahead away from home.
Erik ten Hag is doing an incredible job 👏@ManUtd have already beaten their points tally from last season! 💥 pic.twitter.com/u74VvwxSxX
— Premier League (@premierleague) April 16, 2023
In the run-up to half-time, Forest could have easily re-entered the game through Taiwo Awoniyi. After an impressive recovery down the left, Dalot’s errant touch put the ball into the path of the Forest forward, but his thumping effort flew over De Gea’s goal. When Eriksen found him with a pin-down cross, Fernandes had an equally good chance to double our lead, but the Portugal international only could guide his header wide of Navas’ goal.
The second 45 started In the same frantic fashion as the first, with Forest piling forward in search of the equaliser. While both teams created a few half-chances, neither could make the desired immediate impact.
Ten minutes in, Ten Hag’s men came the closest to scoring the afternoon’s second goal, but for the deft touch of Navas. Bruno played the ball into Eriksen, who paid it back, before our no.8 unleashed a magnificent strike on target that left the crossbar bouncing after the Forest keeper appeared to make the slightest correlation with it.
The Reds came even close yet again, this time with two quick efforts. The first came from Antony, who tried one of his signature moves but only saw it bobble beyond the post. The second came from Bruno, whose exact long-range shot looked destined for the bottom corner but then was saved by Navas’ gloves.
We were finally able to double our lead with less than 15 minutes remaining after carving open the Forest backline and defeating the formidable Navas. After being played through one-on-one by an absurd reverse ball from fellow goalscorer Antony, Dalot finished off an excellent team move with real composure.
Forest kept chasing the game, but a tenacious performance from our back four managed to keep them at bay in what was an extensively deserved win for Ten Hag and his men away from their homeland.
