For the second time this week, Manchester United suffered a Premier League defeat, this time a 3-2 loss at the hands of Nottingham Forest.
Previously, that is not a sentence one can say since Erik ten Hag’s final game in charge of the club at the end of October, but Ruben Amroim’s team put in a poor performance once again.
The Red Devils conceded in the second minute of the game. It was a corner that proved to be their kryptonite once again after the two goals Arsenal scored from those situations on Wednesday. Nikola Milenkovic rose higher than any United defender to nod the visitors into an early lead.
It was Rasmus Hojlund who pulled United level just 16 minutes later. The Dane showed excellent striker’s instinct to follow in Alejandro Garnacho’s rebounded shot to make the score 1-1, and it remained that way at half-time.
Just as they did in the first half, Forest began the second 45 minutes with an early goal. Morgan Gibbs-White’s 47th-minute long-range strike somehow found its way past Andre Onana. Seven minutes later, Chris Wood scored a header which was bizarrely left by Lisandro Martinez and nestled into the back of the net.
Chris Wood
Bruno Fernandes managed to pull one back for the Red Devils, but they ultimately slipped to another defeat. There were certainly some disappointing performances from Amorim’s side.
United’s worst performers vs. Forest
It was a really dismal day for several players, but Onana was someone who particularly struggled. He has been impressive so far this term with six clean sheets to his name, but the former Ajax goalkeeper struggled against the East Midlands side.
The Cameroonian goalkeeper was really poor for Gibbs-White’s strike from outside of the box. There was minimal movement on the shot but Onana was wrong-footed and the ball could only clip his outstretched leg on the way in. For Wood’s header, he was in no-man’s land and could not get anywhere near the ball.
Andre Onana
He received a 3/10 rating from The Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst. He was critical of Onana and said he 'committed a howler' for the first goal. After a good season so far, it was a day to forget.
Martinez also had a tough day at the office. His part in Forest’s third was disappointing. He left Wood’s headed effort as though it was going wide, but instead, it glanced off the post and nestled into the net. Luckhurst gave the Argentine a 4/10, explaining that 'sloppiness crept into his game' after some good performances.
Lisandro Martinez
It was certainly a poor day for United’s defence, and Diogo Dalot, who played higher up the pitch, was another player who did not perform well.
Dalot’s stats vs. Forest
Operating at left wing-back for the stormy affair at Old Trafford, Dalot had little impact on the game as a whole. He struggled with his crossing once more and wasted a key chance at the end of the game. With United in a good position and bodies ahead of him, Dalot chose to take on an ambitious shot rather than find a pass.
Diogo Dalot
The United number 20’s stats from the game, courtesy of Sofascore, certainly suggest it was a tough day at the office. He had 75 touches and a pass accuracy of 84%, losing the ball an outrageous 20 times and failing to complete any of his nine crosses. Off the ball, Dalot committed three fouls and won six from nine duels.
Dalot stats vs. Forest
Stat
Touches
Pass accuracy
Passes completed
Crosses completed
Number of times possession lost
Duels won
Fouls committed
Stats from Sofascore
Luckhurst gave the Portugal international a 4/10, just as he gave Martinez. He explained that the wing-back was 'busy yet ineffectual' down the left flank, pointing out his poor crosses and noting it is 'difficult to think of a pinpoint delivery'.
It is certainly a surprise that Dalot did not get substituted. Noussair Mazraoui came on for Leny Yoro around the hour mark, but he could have easily slotted into left wing-back. Tyrell Malacia is beginning to regain fitness and could also have come on to replace the former Porto man.
Malacia-Man-Utd-Europa-League
It will be interesting to see if Dalot keeps his place in the side for United’s next assignment, a trip to Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League, or the next Premier League game; the Manchester derby.
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