One historic victory in a season was momentous enough for Nottingham Forest, so to achieve two speaks of something pretty special brewing.
First Anfield and now Old Trafford. The Reds have triumphed away to Liverpool and Manchester United in the same season for the first time ever.
September’s 1-0 win on Merseyside was Forest’s first there since 1969. On Saturday, they followed that up with a first victory at United for 30 years.
And to cap it all off, the three points were sealed courtesy of a record-breaking goal. It was quite the occasion and quite the night. No wonder the jubilant celebrations in the away end continued long after the final whistle had blown.
Part one of the Reds’ Manchester double header hadn’t gone their way as they fell to defeat at City on Wednesday night. But the second act, just a few days later, was a classic. Below, we look at some of the big talking points from the 3-2 win.
Record breaker
It was always going to happen. Chris Wood becoming Forest's leading Premier League goalscorer was only a matter of time.
Nuno has backed the New Zealand international to keep going for a few years yet because of the way he takes care of himself. So for him to go past Bryan Roy with his 25th goal for the club on his 33rd birthday was entirely fitting.
“He is an example for the young lads to follow, because it is never too late to achieve good things in football,” head coach Nuno Espirito Santo said of the front man. “He is a good example to everybody and we are very happy to have him.”
Much has already been said about Wood's fine season, but it just keeps getting better and better for him. He is keeping company with Mo Salah and Erling Haaland in the race for the Premier League golden boot, and there is no reason why he cannot give the two heavyweights a run for their money - which will only be good for Forest.
A landmark goal wasn’t the only present the Reds’ star striker got at Old Trafford. The club presented him with a mug bearing an image of him mocked up as Robin Hood - a picture which has done the rounds on social media in recent months. It is to be hoped there is a follow-up gift of a new contract to come.
Attacking intent
For Forest to keep building, they need other players to help shoulder some of the goalscoring responsibility alongside Wood. On Saturday night, Nikola Milenkovic and Morgan Gibbs-White did just that.
Against City, the visitors had created chances but hadn’t made the most of their opportunities. This time, they brutally exploited United’s defensive frailties - even if Nuno would have liked his team to push for more goals. “The mindset should be 2-4, to have some comfort (in the scoreline) because anything can happen,” he told BBC Nottingham.
Trying to take advantage of their opponents’ weaknesses at set-pieces was an obvious area for the Reds to play on. Milenkovic didn’t need any invitation to attack a corner in the first couple of minutes of the game.
It highlighted the contrast in organisation of the two teams. Forest are reaping the rewards of Nuno now having had time to drill his message into his players, whereas Ruben Amorim is trying to get to grips with what Rio Ferdinand described on X as a “shambles”.
Gibbs-White’s strike rubbed salt in United’s wounds. “I didn't (think it was going in) at all, to be fair. I don't want to discredit (Andre) Onana - he's an incredible goalkeeper - but when I had the shot, I thought he was going to pick it up,” the England international told Sky Sports.
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Premier League
Top tactics
With his team having been on the back foot somewhat in the first half, Nuno worked his magic at half-time. The Portuguese has demonstrated his tactical prowess more than once over the past 12 months, and here was another example.
Gibbs-White said of the second half instructions relayed during the break: “It was for me and Woody to stay more narrow, so we could control their two midfielders, and we pressed from the wingers. It seemed to work. We stuck to it, we believed in what the manager wanted and it showed off.”
Nuno’s touchline instructions weren’t the only key to the Reds’ success. The hours spent putting the work in on the training ground also showed.
Forest were disciplined and well organised. Even when the hosts piled forward in desperation of trying to get something from the game, the Reds did not bend. Few sum up that mindset better than Morato, who has an uncanny ability to come off the bench and immediately be switched on to any threat.
The game management was superb and highlights how far this team has come. But Nuno still wants more.
"We have unity, the gaps were closed and the players were brave to not give too much time to United. That is one part,” the Portuguese explained. "The other part is that OK, we are defending, but we have to have threat and not ignore that part of the game. That is something we have to address and try to make right.”
Get breaking Forest news sent direct to your phone
Join our Nottingham Forest WhatsApp group and get the latest breaking news, interviews and opinion sent straight to your phone, plus matchday team news and live updates of all the action. Just click here and select ‘Join Community’ to get started. The only proviso is that you must have WhatsApp on your phone to participate. No one will be able to see your personal information and you will only receive messages from the NottinghamshireLive Reds writers.
We will not spam your WhatsApp feed with constant messages, but you will receive updates from us daily with the latest Reds stories. If you later decide to opt out, just go to the name at the top of your screen and click 'Exit Group'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. If you are curious, you can click here to read our Privacy Notice.
Belief booster
In his pre-match press conference, Nuno spoke in depth about how the midweek performance at the Etihad could be a building block for his team. He wants Forest to have several strings to their bow and be able to clinch results in different ways.
Against City, the Forest head coach took encouragement from the way his players gave it a go and created chances. If they had suffered something of a mini wobble with three defeats in four games, Saturday was reinforcement that Nuno's ideas are working.
Albeit against elite opposition, the Reds hadn't looked themselves against Newcastle United and Arsenal. Even in defeat, City was a step towards getting back on track and this one was another one on the path to progress. "The growing process of the team was evident, with the way we controlled the tempo of the game and the possession," Nuno said.
The Reds showed spirit and character in bucketloads. The unity in this side is clear to see; it showed in the way Jota Silva dropped to his knees to celebrate Wood’s goal and in the post-match scenes as Nuno embraced each of his players as they made their way towards the away end.
Forest still have some tough tests ahead to see out 2024, but they continue to show they can compete towards the top end of the table. This latest result, and the experience and confidence gained from it, will serve them well.
It was telling that no sooner had the final whistle blown, Nuno's focus almost immediately turned to next weekend's clash with Aston Villa. For him, it is about continuous improvement.
What did you make of Forest's win at Old Trafford? Click HERE to have your say