Manchester United continue to lurch and flail through this early phase of the season. A victory from two-nil down appears admirably scrapped for but they should never have allowed this deficit four minutes in.
It points to a fragility that will concern the manager and is a puzzle as Erik ten Hag had all of last season to ensure his side do not resemble a bunch of strangers who may find the right wavelength to prosper or may not. On this occasion they did – just about. The winner came from the one footballer Ten Hag can rely on – Bruno Fernandes, whose 76th-minute penalty beat Matt Turner to the goalkeeper’s right and came after Marcus Rashford claimed the kick by drawing Danilo into a clumsy foul on the right of his area.
Fernandes was effervescent throughout. An earlier run on to Casemiro’s raking pass caused Joe Worrall to yank United’s captain down and Nottingham Forest’s leader was sent off, the score then 2-2.
A defeat or a draw and United could have been written up as entering their latest crisis, with one win from three, a slew of injuries including the £72m new striker who is yet to feature (Rasmus Højlund) and the sense that another season may prove long and arduous. Throw in the latest anti-Glazer protest, a sit-in against the American owners after the final whistle that drew a sizable number, and this would have been one of those dark days synonymous with the decade since Sir Alex Ferguson retired.
While this did not happen – André Onana beat out a late Willy Boly shot to ensure the win – United’s start was a disaster and a farce.
Ten Hag chose his own characterisation. “It is a horror start,” he said. “Giving them two goals but I am very pleased with the comeback, the leadership, how we stayed composed and stuck to the plans and [had] belief.”
Of Fernandes, he said: “In all aspects, he played a game at the highest level, so I’m happy with his performance.”
Forest’s goals came from dead balls and should have been avoided. The first followed a home corner Fernandes swung in from the left, Brennan Johnson cleared, Aaron Wan-Bissaka was soporific in challenging Morgan Gibbs-White and Taiwo Awoniyi took over. He was in his own half but, barging aside a slumbering Rashford, raced upfield. Onana retreated when he might have advanced and the striker ran into the area to score in a seventh successive league appearance.
Cut to Casemiro imploring his teammates to retain their cool. Then cut to Casemiro ball-watching when Gibbs-White fired in a free-kick – needlessly conceded by Diogo Dalot – from the right, the Brazilian’s ponderousness allowing Boly to head in.
United had to rally and did via Christian Eriksen’s first of the season, which came after Turner failed to steer Fernandes’s long-range potshot to safety. Anthony Martial, restored as centre-forward, tapped the ball to Rashford and he beat Scott McKenna down the left and pinged it over for Eriksen’s poacher’s finish.
The home congregation upped the volume and the chants of “You’re getting sacked in the morning” (aimed at Ten Hag) from the Forest supporters were quelled. As rain poured down the Dutchman reached for the cagoule and saw Casemiro commit another mistake: a Fernandes corner bounced to the midfielder who headed wide.
Casemiro was again in the dock for jogging back as Gibbs-White was put in behind. An instant ball would have offered a tap-in but he dawdled and those in red escaped. United’s response was spirited due to Fernandes, who was in dynamo mode, probing along the flanks, chasing back and flicking crossfield passes.
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He was let down by colleagues who failed to pick up runners and, on the stroke of half-time, the unattended Gibbs-White should have smashed in a third Forest goal.
Casemiro redeemed himself with the equaliser. Fernandes pulled a free-kick back to Rashford on the left near Forest’s D. The ball was returned to the captain, whose header was cushioned on a Brazilian leg and punched in.
After Fernandes put United ahead, Anthony Elanga sprinted down the left and teed up Chris Wood, but he missed and United clung on through the 14 minutes of added time.
Steve Cooper was unhappy with Worrall’s sending off and United’s penalty award. “I’m not going to talk too much as I don’t want to get into trouble,” he said.
Ten Hag would not comment on a proposed Crystal Palace move for Dean Henderson, with Fenerbahce’s Altay Bayindir reportedly to replace United’s second-choice keeper.
