Rashford leads from the front as Man Utd prove too strong for Forest

Erik ten Hag will need to add to his forward options next month however.

FORWARD THINKING: Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford celebrates after scoring his team's first goal against Nottingham Forest. Picture OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images

Man Utd 3 

Nottingham Forest 0

Marcus Rashford was handed a pre-Christmas “gift” of a 20-goal challenge by manager Erik ten Hag before the holidays and events continue to underline just how important his productivity will be for Manchester United if they are to secure a top-four finish next year.

The England striker, on the mark in the first post-world Cup game against Burnley in the EFL Cup last week, has certainly responded well to his manager’s challenge based on the continued threat he displayed last night.

He scored an opener and set up a second inside 22 minutes, as United took firm control of the game with struggling Forest although the fact the hosts laboured for long periods, until Fred’s 86th-minute goal, spoke to the heart of ten Hag’s problems.

The departure of disgruntled superstar Cristiano Ronaldo over the break appeared to be a piece of positive business for United and their manager although it added to the pressure on him to sign an orthodox striker to add to his squad next month.

But Monday’s shock decision by Dutch star Cody Gakpo to choose Liverpool over his countryman ten Hag sent out warning signs, and it now appears United will only be in the market for a loan signing next month.

The attempt by the Glazers to sell the club has put player investment on hold for the time being - meaning even a loan move for Joao Felix is out of the question because of Atletico Madrid demanding a high loan fee.

Instead, ten Hag’s only hope will be to shop in the same sort of loan, short-term pool that has seen the likes of Edinson Cavani, Odion Ighalo and Radamel Falcao sign for the club in recent years.

Further back, Henrik Larsson was another such signing by Alex Ferguson, completing an odd assortment of players who had varying degrees of success with the club.

That made ten Hag’s pre-match declaration that Rashford should be scoring 20 league goals a season all the more telling - and challenging, given that he had scored only four times before last night.

But back on the league front, for the first time since mid-November, Rashford maintained that form with a superbly-worked 19th-minute opening goal.

It came from a precise Christian Eriksen corner, delivered to the penalty spot where Rashford had slipped his marker, met the ball and swept a brilliant finish past Forest keeper Wayne Hennessey.

The Welsh international keeper, sent off in costly fashion against Iran in Qatar, was making his Premier League debut for Forest, in place of United loanee Dean Henderson who could not face his parent club.

How keen Steve Cooper will be to hand him his second start remains to be seen after Hennessey’s role in United’s second goal just three minutes later.

Again, Rashford was instrumental as he chased Casemiro’s long ball down the left flank, outpacing the defence before cutting in and picking out Anthony Martial just inside the area.

The Frenchman sent an accurate shot heading towards goal but, even allowing for torrential conditions, Hennessey should have done way more than help the ball into his goal with an outstretched palm.

Martial’s form and fitness is going to be another vital part of the jigsaw puzzle ten Hag will have to piece together over the remainder of the season, given his lack of attacking options.

It is three seasons since Martial, 27, scored 17 times in the Premier League - the two and a half years since have seen him play 35 games for United and score just eight times in the league for United.

If Martial and Rashford can, jointly, re-discover their peak goal productivity then hopes of a top four finish may not be undone by the lack of a new attacking body next month.

Without that, ten Hag may struggle to coax enough goals out of a squad that has Martial as its only orthodox forward - and that would spell trouble.

It almost did last night, with Forest unlucky to have a 40th minute “goal” ruled out for a marginal offside decision against Willy Boly and close on a number of occasions after the break - notably when David de Gea was forced to save Brennan Johnson’s audacious back-heel.

Otherwise, it was a depressingly familiar story, for United at least, of a string of missed chances.

Full-back Tyrell Malacia was unlucky with an early attempt that Hennessey kicked onto his post and Antony missed with a curling effort and was then denied by the Forest keeper one-on-one, early in the second half.

Martial, Rashford and Casemiro all gave Hennessey the chance to redeem himself, which the Forest keeper did before Casemiro’s interception and superb through ball allowed Fred to complete the scoring in the 86th minute, from eight yards.

Man United (4-2-3-1): De Gea 7; Wan-Bissaka 6, Varane 7 (Maguire 76, 5), Shaw 6, Malacia 6; Casemiro 9, Eriksen 6 (Fred 76, 5); Antony 5 (Garnacho 64, 6), Fernandes 7, Rashford 8 (Elanga 86); Martial 7 (van de Beek 64, 6). Substitutes (not used) Heaton, B Williams, Iqbal, Bennett.

Nottingham Forest (4-3-3): Hennessey 5; Aurier 5 (N Williams 73, 5), Worrall 6, Boly 7, Lodi 6 (Toffolo 61, 6); Yates 7, Freuler 6, Mangala 5 (Dennis 62, 5); Johnson 7, Lingard 6 (O’Brien 53, 6), Awoniyi 5 (Surridge 61, 6). Substitutes (not used) Smith, Cook, Colback, McKenna.

Referee: A Taylor 7 Ends