Brighton & Hove Albion v Nottingham Forest - Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final
Anthony Elanga was Nottingham Forest’s hero against Manchester United (Picture: Getty Images)
Anthony Elanga says he has great appreciation for Manchester United after scoring the only goal of the game for Nottingham Forest against his former club.
The winger scored a brilliant solo goal just five minutes into the match at the City Ground, showing his immense pace and then calmness to finish after a lengthy run.
The Sweden international joined Manchester United as a 12-year-old before leaving for Forest in 2023 where he is now shining.
The 22-year-old did make 55 appearances for the Red Devils, but never truly cemented a place in the first team before being sold for just £15m.
He chose not to celebrate his excellent goal on Tuesday night and sent a message of gratitude to Manchester United after the 1-0 win for Forest.
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Elanga told TNT Sports of his goal: ‘It is about attacking the space and getting to the opposite goal as quick as I can. I saw the space and I believe I’m one of the fastest players in the league.
‘The finish is something I have been trying to work on. Left foot or right foot, I am quite comfortable with both feet this season.
Manchester United v Newcastle United: U18 Premier League
Elanga was a star of the Manchester United academy (Picture: Getty Images)
‘All you want to do is keep on improving. Coming here is about playing and developing. I appreciate Manchester United so much as I learned a lot there.
‘I am enjoying my football and I want to keep on going.’
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side remain third in the Premier League table after the victory and firmly on course for a Champions League finish.
It has been a stunning season for the Tricky Trees, with far more onlookers tipping them for relegation than a European finish at the start of the campaign.
Nottingham Forest FC v Manchester United FC - Premier League
Elanga brushed off a series of Man Utd challenges on his way to scoring (Picture: Getty Images)
Elanga sent a message to the fans at the City Ground after they helped the team to another famous win, their 17th league victory this season.
‘I wanted to thank the Forest fans because they’ve supported me so much this season and last season as well,’ he said.
‘It’s important for us to rest and recover, but it was a fantastic win and we’re so thankful to the fans, we felt the support and they’re our 12th man and it was important to have them here.
‘It’s credit to all the players that started against Brighton and again today. Tomorrow is all about recovery because we have another big game on Saturday against Villa who are doing well as well.
‘We’re all together, it’s something Nuno has instilled in us, we defend together, we attack together. We just have to stay focused on the next game.’
Nottingham Forest FC v Manchester United FC - Premier League
Elanga celebrates with Nuno Espirito Santo (Picture: Getty Images)
Elanga is proving a steal of a deal at £15m, playing a big role in Forest’s amazing run of results and he spoke in December of how pleased he is with the choice he made to leave Old Trafford.
‘I made the right decision, 100 per cent,’ Elanga told the Athletic. ‘I have not really spoken about this, but at the time at United, I was very young and I was coming into a team that was struggling.
‘Yes, there was the thought that “I am playing for Manchester United”. But I also never felt as though I was improving. I was playing for the sake of playing when I did get the odd opportunity off the bench.
‘Coming to Forest was so big for me, because suddenly I was regularly playing 90 minutes, while having the opportunity to improve. When I played, I felt like I had purpose; like I was playing and improving in the process. That was the biggest change for me.
‘I feel as though I know the league inside-out now, because I have had the chance to learn. I have no regrets, because I am enjoying playing fantastic football with this team. We are in a really good place at the moment.’
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