Manchester United returned to Premier League action after the international break, looking to win consecutive games in the league for the first time this season.
It was also a chance to exact revenge on Nottingham Forest for the defeat at Old Trafford under Ruben Amorim last year. But unfortunately, despite dominating possession and creating three times more chances, the Red Devils fell to a narrow 0-1 defeat at the City Ground.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s team have shown their proclivity for playing on the break while sitting deep and being hard to break down. And that was exactly what transpired on Tuesday.
Former Carrington graduate Anthony Elanga was the match-winner as he raced from one end of the pitch to another to score past a hapless Andre Onana with Noussair Mazraoui backing off all the time.
Amorim’s changes did not work
The visitors had 24 shots with six on target and hit the post from a Diogo Dalot header while Harry Maguire last-gasp shot was cleared off the line with practically the last kick of the game.
It was woeful finishing up top and a lack of cutting-edge upfront which cost the 20-time English league champions again, their story of the season. Otherwise, the link-up play between players and the way the team kept the ball at times was quote encouraging.
Alejandro Garnacho was initially deployed on the right and switched to his favoured left side in the second half but he was dismal on the night, with his woeful finishing and decision-making on display.
And Amorim’s decision to play Joshua Zirkzee as a No 9 and switch Bruno Fernandes as the No 10 after his recent heroics from central midfield seemed strange and the ploy did not work.
Lack of cutting-edge up front
Both Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte looked slow in the middle of the park and Amorim made the change when it was too late as he dropped his skipper into the midfield alongside the Brazilian.
Rasmus Hojlund, fresh off a goal both for club and country last month, should have started and looked bright off the bench while Zirkzee is a far better fit as one of the attacking midfielders instead of playing up top on his own.
Breaking down a team which sits with a low-block has been United’s bane for a long time and given Amorim’s options in attack, it never looked like happening against Forest.
INEOS must bring in attacking firepower in the summer and even if it means moving on big-name players, so be it. This was United’s 13th loss in the Premier League, one fewer than their record of 14 defeats which they accumulated last season.
Tow huge games coming up for United — the Manchester derby up next followed by the all-important Europa League quarter-final clash against Olympique Lyon. The team needs to take heart from a decent display and improve further. Heads cannot afford to drop at this stage of the season.
Feature image Michael Steele via Getty Images
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Ayantan Chowdhury
Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25
