Manchester United 2, Nottingham Forest 3
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim suffered a second successive defeat after Nottingham Forest beat them at Old Trafford for the first time in 30 years.
The visitors took full advantage of the Reds’ defensive frailties to score goals by Nikola Milenkovic, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Chris Wood.
United could only reply through Rsamus Hojlund and Bruno Fernandes and although both sides hit the woodwork the hard working visitors were full value for their win.
United were a goal down after 91 seconds after Lisandro Martinez failed to deal with Elliot Anderson’s corner which was duly converted by the towering defender Nikola Milenkovic.
The Reds were stunned by the early setback and set about trying to even things up and they grabbed the equaliser after 18 minutes of pressure when Manuel Ugarte slipped in Alejandro Garnacho – his shot was blocked by Matz Sels but Rasmus Hojlund was there to tap in the loose ball.
Jota’s header came off the crossbar after Murillo’s free kick was flicked on by Ryan Yates as United’s weakness in the air was exposed again 10 minutes later.
And Murillo sent a poorly cleared corner wide of the back post as the visitors looked to retake the lead.
Bruno Fernandes hit the crossbar with a sumptuous dipping free kick from 25 yards out but it was Forest who were the ones who retook the lead with a 47th minute goal after a sloppy pass by Bruno Fernandes was snatched by Callum Hudson-Odoi who found it easy to gallop into United territory where he set up Morgan Gibbs-White for a goal that had plenty of swazz on it – the swerve deceived Andre Onana who went the wrong way.
Gibbs-White then set up Chris Wood for an almost customary goal in the 54th minute – his cross was headed back by the New Zealander and beat both Mathijs de Ligt and Onana in the air.
It was raining goals as Amad slalomed into the Forest area and cut the ball back for Bruno Fernandes who rifled home from 19 yards out to reduce the deficit after 61 minutes.
But United couldn’t get a grip on the game to get the equaliser with the visitors pressing the wasteful Reds into errors until the end for a win that was a long time coming.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester United 2, Nottingham Forest 3
Andre Onana: 4. Caught out by Nikola Milenkovic header and flummoxed by the amount of swerve on Morgan Gibbs-White’s goal and then marooned for the Chris Wood goal.
Leny Yoro: 5. Looked a bit overawed by the pace and physicality of the Forest attack.
Mathijs de Ligt: 5. Mistakes cost United in the air.
Lisandro Martinez: 6. Outjumped by Nikola Milenkovic but almost got the equaliser with a looping header. Volleyed over the bar in injury time.
Amad Diallo: 7. Clever shot blocked. Proper battle with Neco Williams. Drew a save from Matz Sels and set up Bruno Fernandes’ goal, also had a shot blocked later.
Kobbie Mainoo: 6. Showed plenty of energy but faded quickly.
Manuel Ugarte: 7. Decent play making. Defence splitting pass to set up the United equaliser.
Diogo Dalot: 6. Difficult to do a great job on the left but did have a couple of goes on goal.
Bruno Fernandes: 6. Tried to prompt United from a more advanced attacking role. Smashed a dipping 25 yard free kick against the crossbar. Punished for loose pass when Callum Hudson-Odoi set up Morgan Gibbs-White to score but made up for it with a goal of his own soon afterwards.
Alejandro Garnacho: 6. Aggressively attacking the ball. Was sent clean through and should have done better with golden chance to level things.
Rasmus Hojlund: 7. Cross too high for him as United looked to hit back after going a goal down. Grabbed equaliser after reacting first to a loose ball.
Marcus Rashford (on for Alejandro Garnacho, 59): 6. Injury time volley blocked.
Harry Maguire (on for Mathijs De Ligt, 66): 6. On to look after Chris Wood.
Noussair Mazraoui (on for Leny Yoro, 66): 6. More experience for the defence.
Mason Mount (on for Bruno Fernandes, 76): No time to mark
Joshua Zirkzee (on for Manuel Ugarte, 76): No time to mark
GOALS – Manchester United 2, Nottingham Forest 3
Man Utd 0, Nottingham Forest 1: 2. Elliot Anderson’s corner was converted by Nikola Milenkovic who rose above Lisandro Martinez to nod the visitors in to an early lead from 8 yards out.
Man Utd 1, Nottingham Forest 1: 18. Rasmus Hojlund had an easy tap in after the ball broke for him after Alejandro Garnacho was put clean through by Manuel Ugarte but his shot which was blocked by Matz Sels
Man Utd 1, Nottingham Forest 2: 47. A loose pass by Bruno Fernandes was taken up by Callum Hudson-Odoi who needed just one pass to set up Morgan Gibbs-White for a straight shot that beat a bemused Andre Onana.
Man Utd 1, Nottingham Forest 3: 54. Morgan Gibbs-White’s cross was headed home by Chris Wood whose header beat Mathijs De Ligt and Andre Onana in the air.
Man Utd 2, Nottingham Forest 3: 61. Amad slalomed into the Forest area and cut the ball back for Bruno Fernandes who rifled home from 19 yards out to reduce the deficit.
MATCH STATS – Manchester United 2, Nottingham Forest 3
Man Utd: Onana, Yoro (Mazraoui 66), de Ligt (Maguire 66), Martinez, Amad, Mainoo, Ugarte (Zirkzee 76), Dalot, Fernandes (C) (Mount 76), Garnacho (Rashford 59), Hojlund
Man Utd Subs not used: Bayindir, Malacia, Eriksen, Casemiro
Goals: Hojlund 18; Fernandes 61
Nottingham Forest: Sels, Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams, Anderson, Yates, Jota (Morato 68), Gibbs-White (Elanga 79), Hudson-Odoi (Awoniyi 90), Wood (Dominguez 79)
Nottingham Forest Subs not used: Miguel, Toffolo, Ward-Prose, Sosa, Boly
Bookings: Jota 30 (foul on Alejandro Garnacho); Williams 90+4
Goals: Milenkovic 2; Gibbs-White 47; Wood 54
Referee: Darren England
Attendance: 73,778