Manchester United 3, Nottingham Forest 2
Bruno Fernandes completed a stunning comeback as Manchester United came back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 against 10-man Nottingham Forest.
Taiwo Awoniyi and Willy Boly had earlier stunned Old Trafford with a two goal salvo before Christian Eriksen and Casemiro level matters by early in the second half.
There was a blow for the visitors as Joe Worrall was sent off after 68 minutes and United took advantage, with Marcus Rashford winning a penalty which Fernandes converted to complete the comeback 8 minutes later.
It had earlier taken just 3 minutes and 47 seconds for Nottingham Forest to take a 2-0 lead at Old Trafford. Both goals were down to poor defensive awareness at set pieces and swiftly became the earliest that United had trailed by two goals in a Premier League game.
The Reds were 1-0 down in under 90 seconds and 2-0 down in under 4 as Taiwo Awoniyi went clean through after galloping up from his own half after a United corner routine broke down.
The Reds were all at sea but managed to get their act together to pull a goal back through Christian Eriksen after 17 minutes after Forest failed to clear a United attack.
The exciting Morgan Gibbs-White could have restored the Forest two-goal lead but his goal bound shot hit Awoniyi in first half added time.
United levelled the scores after 52 minutes when Casemiro, who had been increasingly more attacking, pushed up and got the equaliser from close range after a United free kick.
Joe Worrall was sent off after 66 minutes when he brought down Bruno Fernandes as he ran clear for a shot on goal.
And there was a tense 20 minutes as United knocked on the door of 10-man Forest.
Danilo was penalised for tripping Marcus Rashford rounded him going into the penalty area and Fernandes completed the comeback in the 76th minute with a firmly struck penalty into the bottom left corner.
TEAM CHANGES – Manchester United 3, Nottingham Forest 2
Manchester United made three changes to the side that lost at Tottenham last weekend.
Injuries ruled out both Luke Shaw and Mason Mount and they were replaced by Diogo Dalot and Christian Eriksen.
Anthony Martial was brought back into the side to replace Alejandro Garnacho who dropped to the bench – Marcus Rashford shifted to the left wing to accommodate the French striker.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester United 3, Nottingham Forest 2
Andre Onana: 6. Shocked by early goals. Save from Willy Boly late on to keep United in front.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka: 5. Poor marking led to the second United goal. A deflected cross almost caught Matt Turner out in a mixed bag of a performance.
Raphael Varane: 6. Got some composure back to block Morgan Gibbs-White’s cross but was replaced at half time.
Lisandro Martinez: 6. Caught upfield and left exposed at times.
Diogo Dalot: 5. Left back not his natural position but improved later, not great going forward.
Casemiro: 7. Slid in on Brennan Johnson and took him out. Forced a save from Matt Turner as United tried to get back in the game. Somehow headed wide of an open goal from a corner but then scored the equaliser early in the second half and was poised to put United into the lead too. Landed awkwardly late on.
Bruno Fernandes: 8. Recovered from early deficit with some mercurial forward play – had a shot saved and was on the front foot a lot, creating United’s equaliser – could have scored to put United in front but he shot wide before he got the chance to finish the job from the penalty spot.
Christian Eriksen: 6. Ghosted in to convert Marcus Rashford’s square ball across the area.
Antony: 6. Early chance saved and saw a great effort go wide later. Some tricky wing play but didn’t get too involved in the dirty work at times.
Marcus Rashford: 7. Outpaced by Taiwo Awoniyi for the second Nottingham Forest goal but made up for it with a hand in all three United goals – squaring the ball to allow Christian Eriksen to pull one back and sending in a deep cross to allow Bruno Fernandes to set up the equaliser before drawing the foul in the last few minutes of the game.
Anthony Martial: 5. Played a part in the United goal. Sluggish and anonymous otherwise as chances came his way and taken off after an hour.
Victor Lindelof (on for Raphael Varane, 46): 6. Slotted in at centre back, dependable presence steadied the ship.
Jadon Sancho (on for Anthony Martial, 60): 6. Played up top as false 9.
Scott McTominay (on for Antony, 85): Too late to mark. Went down in injury time and needed a change of shorts to the amusement of the crowd.
GOALS – Manchester United 3, Nottingham Forest 2
Man Utd 0, Nottingham Forest 1: 2. Forest corner attack from a Man Utd corner, the ball was headed out twice by the visitors and Marcus Rashford was too slow to react as Taiwo Awoniyi raced from his own half and finished past Andre Onana.
Man Utd 0, Nottingham Forest 2: 4. Terrible defending from a set piece. Morgan Gibbs-White’s free kick was missed by everyone and it bounced off Willy Boly and past Andre Onana as Aaron Wan-Bissaka stepped away from his man.
Man Utd 1, Nottingham Forest 2: 17. Matt Turner saved a speculative shot but Anthony Martial recycled the loose ball to allow Marcus Rashford to square it from the left where Christian Eriksen tapped in from 3 yards out.
Man Utd 2, Nottingham Forest 2: 52. Casemiro levelled the scores from close range after Bruno Fernandes squared the ball to him following a free kick routine started by Fernandes with a deep pass to Marcus Rashford who dinked the ball back into the box.
Man Utd 3, Nottingham Forest 2: 76. Bruno Fernandes put United into the lead from the penalty spot after Danilo brought down Marcus Rashford as he went into the area.
MATCH STATS – Manchester United 3, Nottingham Forest 2
Man Utd: Onana, Wan-Bissaka, Varane (Lindelof 46), Lisandro Martinez, Dalot, Casemiro, Fernandes, Eriksen, Antony (McTominay 85), Rashford, Martial (Sancho 60)
Man Utd Subs not used: Henderson, Maguire, Pellistri, Fernandez, Gore, Garnacho
Bookings: Wan-Bissaka 58 (foul on Ola Aina); Rashford 83 (dissent); Onana 89 time wasting; Fernandes 90+6 (ungentlemanly conduct)
Goals: Eriksen 17; Casemiro 52; Fernandes 76 pen
Nottingham Forest: Turner, Holy, Warrall, McKenna (Niakhate 57), Aurier, Danilo (Elanga 81), Yates, Aina, Johnson (Kouyate 70), Gibbs-White, Awoniyi (Wood 81)
Nottingham Forest Subs not used: Horvath, Nico Williams, Freuler, Freuler, Montiel, Hwang Ui-jo
Bookings: Aurier 44 (foul on Antony); Gibbs-White 45+1 (time wasting); Aina 62 (foul on Antony); Kouyate 90+6 (foil on Bruno Fernandes)
Red Card: Worrall 68 (denial of goalscoring opportunity, hauling down Bruno Fernandes)
Goals: Awoniyi 2; Boly 4
Referee: Stuart Attwell
Attendance: 73,595