Man Utd stay on track for top-four finish with win at Forest
SHAKE ON IT: Diogo Dalot and Antony shake hands after the defender put United 2-0 up away to Nottingham Forest. Nick Potts/PA Wire
Antony and Diogo Dalot helped Manchester United scratch out three potentially crucial points in the bid for Champions League football but it was another anxious afternoon for Erik ten Hag, for all too familiar reasons.
One was United’s chronic failure to convert pressure and possession into chances, with ten Hag needing Anthony’s first league goal since October, and Dalot’s first ever, to lift United three points above Newcastle and six clear of Tottenham.
And then there were more personnel problems for the Dutch master to contend with, and the wear and tear of a season in which United still, somehow, continue to compete on three fronts, having already won the Carabao Cup.
Marcel Sabitzer, scorer of two goals in the midweek Europa League draw with Sevilla, injured his groin in warm-up and was replaced by Christian Eriksen - no bad swap as it turned out, given the Dane’s playmaking performance on his first league start since January.
And Tyrell Malacia was ruled out with a late injury, as was Luke Shaw, meaning Dalot was only playing, and able to score the decisive second goal, due to his selection as third-choice left-back.
Perhaps that indicates sheer dumb luck on the part of United’s first year manager or is more an indication that ten Hag is performing minor miracles in nursing his squad through an intense and hectic part of the campaign.
“We have more than a starting XI and this was another good win,” said ten Hag. “I would say that Christian Eriksen is hardly a disadvantage when he is coming in.
“It was a well-deserved win but the only criticism I could say was the score had to be higher, it had to be three or four nil.
“We missed a couple of chances and you always want to kill the game off early. That’s always important. In big games, you don’t create many chances so you have to score them.”
That was certainly the case when United threw away a two-goal lead to draw with Sevilla in their Europa League first leg this week but, with so much riding on every game for his team at the moment, ten Hag can just take satisfaction from every single win, however it comes.
This one was certainly such a victory, with Antony’s first league goal since October all the more rewarding as it featured some impressive play from Anthony Martial, whose continuing fitness could be so vital to United in the final weeks.
Martial won an important challenge in midfield and Bruno Fernandes played a one-two with the Frenchman, advancing and, after his shot was well saved by Keylor Navas, Antony pounced on the rebound to tap in his first league goal in six months.
Before that goal, Forest manager Steve Cooper was left furious that VAR failed to act on an apparent handball from Harry Maguire, who had already been booked, after just three minutes, and was fortunate to avoid a second yellow - and a penalty.
“I definitely think it was a penalty from the Maguire incident, and then a second yellow,” said Cooper.
“The ref should give it, I understand at this level and the type of incident why he did not give it. But I do not know how VAR did not spot it, at this level they should be doing better.”
The stroke of luck was needed for United as they looked to put behind them a week in which they suffered the blow of losing defenders Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez to injury.
Jadon Sancho might have given them a dream start after 46 seconds with a blocked shot and, although there were moments of concern for United, Navas had to save brilliantly from the dangerous Fernandes on 17 minutes and the Portuguese playmaker headed wide in first half injury-time.
Fernandes, who is suspended for United’s second leg trip to Sevilla in midweek, continued to dominate after the restart, with Navas making a superb save to turn his powerful shot onto the bar early in the half.
The former Real Madrid keeper was equally alert on the hour, keeping out yet another opportunist effort from Fernandes.
Martial should have handed United a much-needed cushion on 70 minutes, heading wide from a glorious position and that miss added to United’s anxieties, especially when Felipe headed over from point-blank range from a corner moments later.
Finally, Dalot eased those concerns on 76 minutes with a beautifully-worked second goal that had been such a frustratingly long time in coming.
Anthony carved it out after darting into midfield and slipping through a perfect reverse ball for the left-back who surged through and finally beat Navas from eight yards.
Navas 8; Felipe 7, Niakhate 6, McKenna 6 (Dennis 80); N Williams 5, Freuler 5 (Mangala 65, 5), Danilo 5, Lodi 6; Gibbs-White 5 (Lingard 87); Johnson 5, Awoniyi 7 (Surridge 65, 5).
Worrall, Shelvey, Hennessey, Toffolo, Ayew.
De Gea 6; Wan-Bissaka 6, Maguire 6, Lindelof 7, Dalot 7; Casemiro 6, Eriksen 8 (Fred 78, 5); Antony 7, Fernandes 9, Sancho 5; Martial 6 (Weghorst 71, 5).
Pellistri, Bishop, Butland, B Williams, Elanga, Iqbal, Gomez.
S Hooper 6.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
