Table of Contents
During the Premier League match between Manchester United and Nottingham Forest at City Ground on December 30, 2023, in Nottingham, England, Marcus Rashford of Manchester United celebrates scoring their first goal.
On Saturday, Manchester United’s horrifying Premier League nightmare continued as they lost 2-1 to Nottingham Forest, their 14th loss of the year. The Red Devils are nine points out of a Champions League spot and languishing in seventh place. Meanwhile, Forest, under new manager Nuno Espírito Santo, celebrates a thrilling late victory.
Forest Bites First, United Fights Back, then Forest Delivers the KO
Nicolas Dominguez’s header past David De Gea in the 64th minute gave Nottingham Forest a stunning victory over the visitors. However, Manchester United did not give up and, 14 minutes later, their prolific striker Marcus Rashford equalized the score by seizing a loose ball in the box.
But the Forest fable carried on, just as United supporters dared to hope for a return. The newly promoted team was awarded all three points when, with eight minutes remaining, Morgan Gibbs-White, a substitute, stepped up to the plate and scored a thunderous strike from the edge of the box that beat De Gea.
Ten Hag’s Tactics Falter as Forest Flies under Santo
Manchester United, under Erik ten Hag, is still rife with inconsistencies; their moments of genius are tempered by tactical and defensive lapses. The manager’s tactics were questioned in light of Cristiano Ronaldo’s persistent bench role, and the team’s lack of inventiveness in the closing third ultimately proved costly.
Nuno Espírito Santo, however, is leading Nottingham Forest, which is on the rise. The Tricky Trees have won recently against Newcastle and Manchester United, demonstrating their improved resiliency. The former Tottenham Hotspur manager has turned the team into a disciplined and self-assured team.
According to Goal.com: