The scoreboard at Nottingham Forest was so misleading Manchester United could have recorded a number to match the cricket scores across the road at Trent Bridge.
The City Ground is the only domestic away ground United have won by a three-goal margin all season. Though they posted a more modest scoreline than in the League Cup, 24 years on from the record 8-1 thrashing it remains a very happy hunting ground.
In United's four fixtures against Forest this season, they have won by an aggregate scoreline of 10-0. United still find goals hard to come by but, more often than not, they find a way to win. This was another strikingly dominant performance from a side that appears to be mastering the controlling style Erik ten Hag cherishes at an ideal time.
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This was not as comfortable a visit for the United away-dayers in the Bridgford End as in the League Cup in January. Forest re-emerged only a goal down and it was not until Diogo Dalot killed the contest with a nerveless 76th-minute strike that had somehow stayed alive that long.
Eight days on from Scott McTominay's sense of adventure, it was apposite another member of the defensive department was the most clinical in front of goal. Bruno Fernandes and Jadon Sancho debriefed constructively at full time, doubtless still rueing one of umpteen missed opportunities.
United have already surpassed last season's Premier League points tally with eight fixtures remaining and they have usurped Newcastle to go third. United are six points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham and with a game in hand.
Christian Eriksen, included in the starting XI at less than 15 minutes notice after Marcel Sabitzer pulled up in the warm-up, performed as though he had never been away from the starting XI. His promotion meant a role change for Bruno Fernandes, relocated from a 6 to a 10 at short notice. Fernandes found the No.9 Anthony Martial with a prompt pass to expose Forest for Antony's goal.
Eriksen, Fernandes and Casemiro were in masterful form. Forest were such hopeless hosts the trio swanned around the pitch as though it was an exhibition match and Fernandes has not been in such majestic form for two years. Eriksen earned a deserved pat from Casemiro when he was rested with United finally two goals to the good.
On his first Premier League start in five weeks, Casemiro underpinned United's dominance. He was the last player to acknowledge the United followers, repeatedly punching the air and earning a spontaneous chant.
Fernandes ought to have crowned another influential display with a goal, firstly in added time of the first 45 from Eriksen's cross with a header that whistled wide. In the second, they collaborated and capitalised on Forest's doziness but Keylor Navas gloved Fernandes's piledriver onto the crossbar.
Nobody in white was more unflappable than Eriksen, so untouchable his kit was would not have required a change at the interval. Ten Hag's assistant Mitchell van der Gaag and the technical director Darren Fletcher spoke fleetingly to Eriksen shortly before kick-off and Ten Hag will have been pushed for time to brief him in the dressing room. The Dane is a certainty to retain his role in Seville on Thursday.
Antony took progressive steps in Nottingham three months ago and this was his most complete performance in the Premier League. A scorer of great goals but not yet a great goalscorer, Antony scruffily ended Forest's resistance and his scything assist for Dalot was reminiscent of Arjen Robben. Robben, one of the greats who got away from United, has to be Antony's yardstick.
United had to contend with the 11th-hour withdrawal of Sabitzer in the warm-up. By the time Eriksen was informed to prepare more rigorously there were less than 15 minutes to go until kick-off.
If we are to include the irrelevant Phil Jones, who has not been registered in the Premier League or Europa League squads, then United have an injured XI. Third-choice goalkeeper Jack Butland was instructed to embark on an early warm-up as David de Gea gingerly limped around his penalty area until he gave the thumbs-up.
United ended the first half as they had started it, with the impotent Jadon Sancho profligate in the opening seconds. The game was not an hour old and some Forest fans began berating manager Steve Cooper. The team looked as ramshackle as their recruitment yet a second goal eluded United until the 80-minute mark loomed.
The atmosphere was initially so raucous it could have caused ripples in the River Trent. Those across the road at the cricket ground, where Nottinghamshire were into their fourth day with Somerset, might have been wondering if they were at the wrong game.
Maguire, his Leicester connections not forgotten by the Forest fans, was cautioned in the third minute for a clumsy manhandling of Taiwo Awoniyi, much to the United captain and manager's chagrin. Maguire was repeatedly heckled with cries of "Leicester reject" and one errant pass into touch prompted sarcastic cheers when he next found a teammate.
United supporters do not have a chant for Maguire but offered vociferous backing with an impromptu rendition of, 'You've seen Maguire, now f--k off home'.
The free-kick Maguire conceded - inside the Forest half - briefly invited immediate pressure that would have led to an Awoniyi goal had Aaron Wan-Bissaka not been well placed in the six-yard box. Ten Hag, his hands stuffed into his pockets for the first half-an-hour, unless vainly protesting a decision, used one stoppage to instruct Dalot as Casemiro advised Fernandes to play more patiently. The opposite paid off.
United's goal got Ten Hag more animated. He wagged his finger at the Forest assistant and former United academy member Alan Tate, eager for Maguire to have a second yellow card flourished at him. Maguire saw out the game and United saw off Forest.
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