Anthony Elanga was the star of the show as Nottingham Forest beat Manchester United in the Premier League.
Manchester United lost 1-0 to Nottingham Forest on Tuesday evening and former Red Devils star Anthony Elanga was the star of the show.
Elanga ran 85 metres of the pitch before sliding the ball past Andre Onana to score the only goal of the game at City Ground.
Rio Ferdinand raved about Elanga after the full-time whistle, while Ruben Amorim’s thoughts on Elanga was that he already had his chance as a United player.
But United will regret selling Elanga, especially as his supposed replacements/upgrades were Antony and Jadon Sancho – two flops who now find themselves out on loan.
Photo by Jon Hobley | MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Photo by Jon Hobley | MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
The Anthony Elanga concern that led to £15m Man United sale
A former United coach tipped Elanga to be the ‘next David Beckham’, but sadly his time at Old Trafford turned out very differently.
Elanga scored four times in 55 appearances for United, before the Red Devils decided to accept Forest’s £15m offer for him in 2023.
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Looking back on that deal, it seems bizarre given that Elanga now seems perfect for Amorim, but a report from The Athletic explains the concerns that United staff had for the Swedish forward.
The report claims that while there was appreciation for Elanga’s “phenomenal physical talents”, there were reservations about his ability to break down defences.
Elanga’s counter-attacking ability is one of his biggest strengths, but United wanted wingers who were able to unlock well-organised back lines – something they thought wasn’t in Elanga’s skillset.
Why Anthony Elanga would be ideal for Ruben Amorim
One noticeable trend in press conferences is that Amorim wants more physicality at United.
The Portuguese head coach has clearly identified a lack of physicality in the current United squad – yet the Premier League is the most physical division in world football.
Elanga backs himself as the Premier League’s fastest player, and he proved he is certainly in the mix with his goal against United.
United overlooked Elanga for wingers such as Sancho and Antony – two players deemed better technically. But both deals turned out disastrously.
READ MORE: What Ralf Rangnick said about Anthony Elanga at Man Utd, his words still ring true
If Amorim could bring Elanga back to United, there is no doubt he would. As the report above states, Elanga had “phenomenal” physicality and that is exactly what Amorim is looking for in his attacking players.
When United dip into the transfer window for a new No.10 and striker this summer, expect Amorim’s targets to be physical and pacey like Elanga.