Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United argues with referee Darren England
Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United argues with referee Darren England
Bruno Fernandes reacted to Nottingham Forest's third goal by complaining to the referee. That, in a microcosm, is the problem with this Manchester United side. They do not look at themselves enough. That lack of accountability is why they are closer to the relegation zone than the top four.
A win would have taken United above Forest. Instead, Forest are now six points clear of United, still marooned in 13th. United's evening ended with a feckless free kick conceded by Diogo Dalot inside his own third. That was the final, agonising act.
This was Forest's first win at Old Trafford since Stan Collymore wowed the Scoreboard End in December 1994. Forest threatened to end that wait last year by scoring two goals inside the first three minutes. United salvaged that day. They didn't today.
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This was a severe regression for Ruben Amorim's side. Three more goals sieved at Old Trafford and Andre Onana back in the form of his first six months at the club. The Cameroonian was enjoying a fine season until his timid goalkeeping at Arsenal's corners and his howler was reminiscent of his error-strewn first six months in Manchester.
Almost as bad was Chris Wood's header to make it 3-1 as United again shrunk amid the aerial bombardment. Wood's header was stoppable, though. Matthijs de Ligt left it for Onana, who left it for Lisandro Martinez, who let the ball drop in.
That Ajax triangle is not a ringing endorsement of Erik ten Hag's tenure. Onana has had a week to forget yet De Ligt and Martinez cannot be certain of remaining mainstays in Ruben Amorim's defensive trident beyond this season.
This was a truly galling reality check for United, a barely mid-table team whose top four chances are receding by the week. They must hope City are as charitable as their recent performances in next week's derby at the Etihad.
Fernandes demonstrated his merits as a captain, with a deft flick that accelerated the attack for United's first-half equaliser and clinically sweeping in on 61 minutes. Every United player was immediately buoyed by the prospect of another comeback. Onana, itching to feel involved outside the area, turned cheerleader.
Removing Fernandes in the 77th minute was suspect from Amorim. For all the baggage Fernandes comes with, he handles matters and tends to create something out of nothing whilst under-performing. United never looked close to scoring again after he went off.
Amorim suggested on Friday he was "more or less" close to settling on a best XI and this was more or less close to it. He also admitted United are no longer a "massive team". Forest confirmed that.
There was scant progress on the pitch. In conditions so treacherous that the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand's roof was in danger of coming off, never mind leaking, United were not as inhospitable towards their visitors as the elements.
Forest breached United from a corner at Old Trafford inside three minutes last year, too. That was to make it 2-0 that day and they briefly had another two-goal advantage in the second half.
Martinez's height has seldom mattered since his first weeks at United yet he was a bollard against a lamppost in Nikola Milenkovic. Martinez botched a pass five minutes later and stamped the turf in exasperation.
Jota Silva nodded against the crossbar from a free kick and United were not alive from another dead-ball kick. Murillo was so close the Forest fans and coach Nuno Espirito Santo thought they had gone 2-1 up.
Amorim made way for his assistant, Carlos Fernandes, ahead of defensive and attacking set pieces. Andreas Georgson, hired as a designated set-piece coach in the summer, is still in the dugout and United have markedly worsened since the change.
United also have an alternative adviser in Onana. He stood in front of those seated in the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand on the halfway line to offer guidance before a Fernandes free kick, like a caddy giving a golfer pointers. Fernandes hit the pin - the crossbar.
Onana's positioning was more troubling for Morgan Gibbs-White's drive. The ball was wellied straight down the middle of the goal yet Onana seemingly anticipated a more testing effort and misfielded it like a 12th man on the boundary. Onana could not get an added-time free kick right, either. Requiring five or six goes to place the ball in the correct position - in line with the linesman.
Amorim complained about United's reluctance to probe in midweek and his disapproval was apparent again in the early knockings. When Matthijs de Ligt had the ball in the 19th minute, one ingrate fan booed as the defender scanned his options. Two fine passes later, United were level.
Diogo Dalot pointed at De Ligt yet the opening was carved by Fernandes's flick and a probing pass by Manuel Ugarte. The first half still ended to the sound of some impatient murmurs on the terraces. The mood worsened within ten minutes of the restart as the scoreline read 1-3.
Both teams emerged with wreaths in memory of Kath Phipps, with Forest's thoughtfully carried by United academy graduate and adopted Mancunian Anthony Elanga. Sir Alex Ferguson was conspicuous by his absence as he is currently abroad, doubtless in sunnier climes.
He would have insisted the players take a look at themselves.