Nottingham Forest emerged victorious against Manchester United, securing their first win at the iconic Old Trafford stadium in nearly three decades.
The match showcased a blend of defensive errors from Manchester United and the effective exploitation of those mistakes by Nottingham Forest.
The game began with an early surge from Forest, who took the lead through Nikola Milenkovic. His goal set the tone for a match that continually tested United’s defensive solidity. However, in a spirited response, Manchester United’s Rasmus Hojlund managed to equalize, bringing some hope to the home crowd.
As the second half commenced, Nottingham Forest seized control, scoring two crucial goals within a mere seven minutes. The first came as Andre Onana, Manchester United’s goalkeeper, misjudged a shot from Morgan Gibbs-White that originated from the edge of the penalty area.
Onana dived to his right, anticipating a low save, only to be caught off guard when the ball inexplicably curled to his left and found the net.
The situation worsened for United shortly thereafter when their defense faltered again. Chris Wood capitalized on a moment of miscommunication between Onana and Matthijs de Ligt.
A looping header from Wood seemed to bewilder both players, allowing the ball to bounce between them and evade the outstretched efforts of Lisandro Martinez, who also failed to intervene. The ball nestled in the far corner of the net, amplifying the frustrations of the United supporters.
Despite the mounting pressure, Manchester United found a lifeline when captain Bruno Fernandes struck back, reducing the deficit with a well-placed goal in the 61st minute. This sparked hopes of a comeback as United intensified their efforts.
Manager Ruben Amorim responded by making five changes in an attempt to infuse fresh energy into his squad. However, despite their relentless pushing, the home team could not find a second goal, and the match ended with Nottingham Forest celebrating their unlikely triumph.
This defeat marks a troubling chapter for Manchester United, as they suffer successive losses in the Premier League, following a disheartening defeat to Arsenal just days earlier.