To Ruben Amorim’s recent buzzwords of “suffer” and “storm” Manchester United’s manager can add “defending” after a rearguard horror show culpable for all three Nottingham Forest goals.
As Amorim mentioned before kick-off, the blustery conditions were no excuse, as the Old Trafford bowl offers protection, while André Onana, Matthijs de Ligt, Lisandro Martínez and Leny Yoro are elite players.
Yet Amorim’s goalkeeper and his three central defenders made errors that left United chasing the contest throughout and though they finished strongly the finesse required to engineer a late equaliser was absent – Martínez’s flashing volley their nearest miss. In citing how United are not currently a “massive team” Amorim was preparing for displays like this. Judging by how Forest prospered, England’s 20-times record champions will remain rather small for some time longer.
Amorim has talked, too, of learning about his players. Well, after both goals in Wednesday’s 2-0 loss at Arsenal derived from corners, Martínez and De Ligt did zero to impress by losing Nikola Milenkovic for Elliot Anderson’s second-minute delivery. The Serb’s free header beat a stationary Onana.
The head coach is also culpable as the job description takes in the drilling of set-piece resistance. For someone of his repute to oversee three successive goals from corners is a black mark against him: to Amorim’s credit, he did accept all of the blame afterwards.
The 39-year-old’s selection in midweek was questionable, too. After Marcus Rashford and Joshua Zirkzee scored twice in United’s last home game, Sunday’s 4-0 trouncing of Everton, Amorim left them out at Arsenal and he did the same here.
Instead, Rasmus Højlund and Alejandro Garnacho were retained in the frontline. The former, in for Zirkzee at No 9, missed a gilded chance when Bruno Fernandes scampered forward and tapped to Garnacho, who floated the ball over to the Dane. He completely missed a point-blank header and Forest escaped.
As in the opening period at Arsenal, United pinged the ball about, pushing their opponents around, and this yielded the equaliser. De Ligt found Fernandes, who recycled the ball to Manuel Ugarte. He threaded Garnacho in behind a dawdling rearguard, the Argentinian overran the ball, Matz Sels blocked his effort and Højlund’s finish hit a gaping goal.
Yoro, on his full debut, then became the last of Amorim’s three centre-backs to be beaten aerially at a set piece. This was at a Murillo free-kick spiralled into United’s area: the Frenchman was bested by Ryan Yates, who turned the ball back over and Jota Silva’s header hit the bar.
Inches lower and Amorim would field queries about another concession at a dead ball and there was a further close call when Murillo missed after a delivery from the right.
Towards the end of the half, Garnacho fluffed a shot and Fernandes crashed a free-kick off the bar but these were moments, their earlier control now a memory.
Forest’s second came in the second minute of the second half and derived from the haplessness of Fernandes and Onana. Aiming for Yoro, United’s captain located Callum Hudson-Odoi instead.
The winger passed to Morgan Gibbs-White and though there was curl on his shot, it was marginal, and Onana still allowed the ball through. Two-one soon became 3-1 to the impressive visitors and this time Yoro, De Ligt, Martínez and Onana all made mugs of themselves. It was too simple: Gibbs-White stood the ball up to the far post, Yoro failed to challenge Chris Wood and his steered header was missed – farcically by De Ligt, Martínez and Onana who all looked to blame each other.
Amorim, disgusted, hauled off Garnacho for Rashford. Just over half an hour remained for United to pull this from the fire and the change worked instantly. A sublime Fernandes volleyed pass took Amad Diallo into Forest’s area. He waited, returned possession to the Portuguese, and a pirouette and finish into the left corner was admirable.
By the close, Zirkzee, Rashford and Højlund were the front three but to no avail. Amorim’s explanation for dropping the first two following their game-winning performances against Everton was one of employing bespoke selection for the opponent. Yet, since then, United have lost twice.
