Nottingham Forest 1-0 Manchester Unig
The eight-year season of Manchester United under Ruben Amorim continued on Tuesday evening after a loss of 1-0 against Nottingham Forest. Former Red Devil Anthony Elanga hit his old club in the fourth minute with an excellent solo attempt to give a tough task for the rest of the game.
United gathered and hit the post via Diogo Dalot, but struggled to find an equalizer and went into a goal during the break.
Amorim's men did not succeed in producing sufficiently clear openings, because Forest was able to sit on their lead and to grind three points – but the Red Devils came powerfully close to a late goal, because the efforts of Harry Maguire were released in the last seconds of the line.
Forest has now secure the competition down United with a vital victory that brings them one step closer to qualifying for the Champions League.
Mirror Football has taken a look at the biggest points of the match in the city.
Elanga comes back to chase United
United sold him for only £ 15 million in the summer of 2023 and tonight Elanga sent the perfect message to his former employers with a sensational solo goal to numb the Red Devils within the first four minutes.
The Sweden International started a Mazy run after he picked up the ball at the edge of his own penalty area and ran over the length of the field with three United players who stepped back to stop him.
He then went centrally and stormed in the box without a United defender trying a challenge – before slid calmly past Onana in the corner.
Elanga gave a Gedempte celebration in respect for his former club, but it only served to show that United might have made a big mistake to let him go, and while things stand, he will play in the Champions League next season.
The 22-year-old now has six goals and eight assists and you could make a very solid argument that he would go into Amorim's starting XI if things stand out.
Only Bruno Fernandes (35) has more goals and has combined than Elanga (28) since he arrived in Forest, and that speaks volumes.
The sale of Elanga now looks even more enormant, since the club decided to discharge him instead of Antony, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho – who have now all been sent on loan.
Zirkzee is unable to pay back faith
Joshua Zirkzee has been placed under the microscope a number of times this season because of his sketchy displays since he came to Bologna for £ 35 million last summer.
The Dutchman has scored six goals in all competitions, but only three in the Premier League – forced with the attacker to play more as a replacement than a starter this season.
But he got the chance to impress the city from the start, with a benched by Hojlund – and Amorim said that the recording of Zirkzee was a “tactical reason” – insisting that he “chose the best XI to win the game”.
But Zirkzee, as he has been so often this season, was largely anonymous against Forest and hardly touched the ball.
He offered little as an attacking option – although he received little service – when Amorim was forced to bring Hojlund in the second half to support him.
Casemiro and Ugarte's Run
Neither of the players covered themselves in glory this season – especially Casemiro – but the duo had put together an impressive record when they were linked together in midfield.
Casemiro has been beaten for his Under-Par displays in this campaign and he came close to leaving the club in both transfer penters, but he did it better alongside the former PSG star Ugarte.
Before the forest match, Casemiro and Ugarte had never lost when starting a game together, in which United won four games and two pulled two at that time.
But that run ended on Tuesday after United was broken and the two struggled to have an impact in midfield.
During the break, Amorim decided to take the silent Ugarte for Hojlund, to make a tactical shift of his formation – and then left his start central midfield halfway through the second half after Casemiro was addicted to Eriksen.
United is lacking in the cutting edge
This season we certainly saw poorer Manchester United performances and the men of Amorim played a number of decent things in the first half.
In the opening period we were told about four times by co-commentator Ally McCoist how United had put together a number of great movements, but they still did not succeed in stopping the ball in the back of the net.
United had 10 shots in the first half, which was the second highest they had the entire season in the first 45 minutes of an away game. The most was 11 in a 3-0 win over Southampton in September.
Things didn't get much better in the second half when Hojlund and Zirkzee did not produce a threat and for the most part the forest looked comfortable.
Their sad finish was summarized by Harry Maguire of all the people who are late in the box found by a great Patrick Dorgu cross – although the in the middle of the well -wide led.
United had a total of 20 chances and will remain with a feeling of “what if” while they make the journey back to Manchester.
Amorim will be frustrated by the lack of spark of his team and will only solidify his desires for a new striker who can guarantee goals.
Garnacho frustrates
In a game where a former winger in Manchester United attracted attention, there was extra pressure on Garnacho to deliver the goods.
The Argentinian was actually torn by Elanga and sent crashing to the turf before the Swedish star shot in the opening goal.
Later in the game, Garnacho was wasting – a number of opportunities rejected while shooting a few times over the bar.
He earned the wrath of many supporters on social media, with some who interrogate his decision -making and shooting shortage.
Mason Mount
Some positive news for United fans was the return of the midfielder Mount, who had a regrettable time this season on the sidelines with nibbling injury problems.
The former Chelsea -Man has not played a match since December 15 after a succession of a hamstring injuries.
It is incredible to think that this man cost about £ 60 million in 2023 – he has hardly kicked a ball for the Red Devils and he must have been relieved to finally get back to the field this week, desperate not to suffer setbacks.
He almost enjoyed the perfect comeback after collecting a bad clearance on the edge of the area and the curls of an attempt that flashed just beyond the distant pole.
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