“I don’t want to criticize him but starting that player was wrong to be honest”: Man United’s goalkeeper Onana names ONE Man United’s player who didn’t deserved to be in starting lineup against Nottingham Forest
Manchester United have now lost back-to-back games under their new boss, as in the gusty wind which much of England suffered on Saturday, Nottingham Forest pulled off a famous 3-2 victory. The 13th-placed Red Devils were behind with just two minutes on the clock, as Nikola Milenkovic’s header from a corner harkened back to United’s frailties from their midweek 2-0 loss at Arsenal.
Rasmus Hojlund replied quarter of an hour later but rapid-fire goals from Morgan Gibbs-White and Chris Wood after half-time put Nuno Espirito Santo’s side back in the driving seat. Bruno Fernandes pulled a goal back to set up a tense finale, during which Forest held firm to take home all three points and end their 30-year wait to win at Old Trafford.
Here are four talking points from the match.
1. Kath remembered
This week marked the passing of a true Red Devils icon: Kath Phipps. Appointed by Sir Matt Busby in 1968, Kath worked for United in a variety of roles over the last 55 years, finally as the club’s receptionist at Carrington before her death aged 85.
Pre-match, United’s players unfurled a banner which read: “Thank you, Kath. United legend.” Old Trafford then observed a minute’s applause in her memory.
2. United’s set-piece woes continue
After losing a game 2-0 by conceding both goals from corner kicks, what’s perhaps the worst thing you could do in your next match? Give one away inside 90 seconds.
That’s exactly what United did here and Forest defender Milenkovic made sure to punish Amorim’s rudderless defence with a thumping header to give the visitors an early lead. Lisandro Martinez failed to block the Serbian off while Matthijs de Ligt’s attempt to beat Milenkovic to the ball was feeble.
Just under quarter of the goals which the Red Devils have conceded in the Premier League this season have come from corners and that percentage almost increased when Jota Silva hit the crossbar shortly after Hojlund had brought United level with a poacher’s goal.
4. Oh no, Onana
It was rinse and repeat for United at the start of the second 45 mininutes. No, not conceding another goal from a corner but finding themselves behind two minutes into the half.
This time, a loose flick from Bruno Fernandes was intercepted by Callum Hudson-Odoi, who laid the ball off to Gibbs-White on the edge of the Red Devils’ box. The England international shaped up to shoot and bizarrely, the ball flew into the centre of the goal past Onana, who could only waft a hand at the shot.
Replays showed that United’s goalkeeper was simply wrong-footed, falling the other way and allowing Forest to retake the lead – and it didn’t get any better for the Red Devils.
