Erik ten Hag, the manager of Manchester United, managed to put a positive spin on their victory despite a disastrous start against ten-man Nottingham Forest. Although the team showed resilience by coming back from a 2-0 deficit, it was evident that they should never have been in that position in the first place. This early fragility is a concern for Ten Hag, especially considering he had a whole season to prevent his team from appearing disjointed and unfamiliar with each other’s playing style.
Nevertheless, United managed to secure the win, thanks to the reliable Bruno Fernandes, who scored a penalty in the 76th minute. Marcus Rashford drew a clumsy foul from Danilo, resulting in a red card for Nottingham Forest and leveling the score at 2-2. Fernandes performed exceptionally throughout the game, and his earlier run led to Joe Worrall’s foul, which resulted in the send-off.
A defeat or a draw would have plunged United into a crisis, with only one win out of three games, numerous injuries, and mounting tensions among fans against the Glazer ownership. This victory prevented what could have been another dark day for a club that has struggled since Alex Ferguson’s retirement.
However, it’s important to acknowledge that United’s start to the game was disastrous and farcical. Both goals they conceded were from dead balls and should have been easily avoided. The first goal came from a corner, where Fernandes failed to challenge Gibbs-White, allowing Taiwo Awoniyi to make a remarkable run from deep in his own half to score. The second goal came from a free-kick, needlessly given away by Diogo Dalot, and Casemiro’s lack of awareness allowed Willy Boly to score with a header.
Despite the poor start, United rallied and managed to turn things around. Christian Eriksen scored their first goal after Turner failed to save Fernandes’s long-range shot. Anthony Martial, playing as the center-forward, assisted Rashford, who then set up Eriksen for the equalizer. This ignited the home crowd and silenced the visiting fans’ chants against Ten Hag.
The rain poured down as Ten Hag sported a cagoule, witnessing Casemiro make yet another mistake by heading wide from a Fernandes corner. Casemiro’s lackadaisical defending also allowed Gibbs-White to have a clear chance on goal, but he squandered the opportunity. Despite the defensive lapses, United showed spirit, largely due to Fernandes, who was exceptional throughout the game. The team failed to pick up runners, and Gibbs-White had another chance to score a third goal, but he missed.
Casemiro redeemed himself by scoring the equalizer, thanks to Fernandes’s free-kick and Rashford’s header across the box. United then took the lead through Fernandes’ penalty. In the final minutes, Anthony Elanga set up Chris Wood, but the striker missed, allowing United to hold on for the win.
Ten Hag chose to focus on the positive aspects of the game, praising his team’s comeback, leadership, and composure, as well as their adherence to the game plan and principles. He acknowledged the horror start but emphasized the good football they played and the quality of the goals they scored.
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