Nottingham Forest v Man United | 23/24 FA Cup

Nottingham Forest vs Manchester United, Man United

Man United claimed a 1-0 victory against Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup on Wednesday night. Erik Ten Hag’s men move on to the Quarterfinals of the FA Cup after an 89th minute Casemiro header earned the Red Devils a win in the last stages of the game.

The match looked like it was destined for extra time. However, a low floated Bruno Fernandes free-kick met Casemiro’s head before sailing through Matt Turner’s feet. The Reds will now face arch-enemies Liverpool in the next round and thus, creating a challenging route for the Dutchman to secure silverware in his second season.

Nottingham Forest, Man United, Casemiro — Image Obtained via The Independent

Let’s take a look at the three key takeaways from the Nottingham Forest vs Man United game:

1. Manchester United Are Struggling To Cope With Injuries

The XI that started against the Tricky Tress was deprived of key players, namely Luke Shaw, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Lisandro Martinez, and Rasmus Hojlund. The unavailability of a natural left-back meant the Morrocan international Sofyan Amrabaat had to slot in. This restricted United’s ability to play out from the left hand side.

Evidently, this resulted in Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford being isolated in the first half. The Danish striker’s injury also meant that Rashford had to accommodate the No.9 role, a position he has publicly stated he does not prefer.

Erik Ten Hag, Sevilla, Manchester United — Image Obtained via Keepup

The lack of midfield options also meant that Bruno could not be rested even after reports of a knock for the Portuguese play-maker. The recurring need for Ten Hag to make changes in his starting XI does not allow him to implement his style of play within the team.

2. A Better Performance From Antony?

Antony had earned his first start against a Premier League opposition since Forest away back in December. However, the Brazilian winger found himself to be very unlucky as one of his better shots hit the bar in the 4th minute. He had an improved performance last night and boasted good defensive numbers with a 100% tackle rate.

Antony's game by numbers vs. Forest:

100% tackles won
95% pass accuracy
40 passes completed
4 chances created
4 shots
1 bar hit

Directly involved in 8 shots. Better. 🤝🤝🤝 pic.twitter.com/5DyxHGHFHJ

— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) February 28, 2024

Nevertheless, mixed reviews from pundits leave fans pondering what is holding the manager back from giving Amad Diallo some game time. Alan Shearer held him to scrutiny when commenting on the Nottingham Forest vs Man United game by saying:

“He might be disappointed coming off but he hasn’t done anywhere near enough to stay on. Same old, get the ball, cut inside, pass it to someone else or have a shot. It’s not enough when you cost that much.”

3. Nottingham Forest Put In A Promising Performance

There was very little between the two clubs on Wednesday night and the game looked like it was heading towards extra time. Despite the Red Devils holding more possession and boasting a higher xG, the home team was a continuous threat in the game. They took 16 shots, with 5 of them threatening Andre Onana’s goal.

Taiwo Awoniyi and Divock Origi had put Onana to the test, however the Cameroon International came out successful. The United shot-stopper had another promising performance and fans would be hopeful he is now making up for his mistakes at the start of the season. The home team was looking to reach the quarterfinals of the FA Cup only for the second time since 1996.

The ground is famous for Mark Robins scoring a header to secure Sir Alex Ferguson’s first FA Cup, which famously saved his job at Manchester United in 1990. Could this Mark Robin-sque goal be enough to turn the tide for Erik Ten Hag’s stint at Manchester United? The fans would hope so, considering they have a very difficult test on the weekend away against the treble winners Manchester City.

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