Man Utd 3-2 Nottingham Forest: Player ratings as Fernandes penalty completes comeback

Manchester United completed a remarkable comeback to beat Nottingham Forest 3-2 after going two goals behind inside five minutes at Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon.

Sloppy defending saw Taiwo Awoniyi race clear to put Forest ahead before Willy Boly headed in among a static group of United players.

Christian Eriksen netted from Marcus Rashford's cross before the hosts went level in the second half as Casemiro finished off a set-piece routine.

Joe Worrall was dismissed for denying a goalscoring opportunity before Bruno Fernandes put United ahead in the 76th minute from the penalty spot after Rashford had been brought down.

How the game unfolded

Whatever the Nottingham Forest squad had on their breakfast Weetabix - other wheat biscuits are available - it certainly paid dividends. While Erik ten Hag had called for his players to show more desire after a poor result at Tottenham last week, his players didn't look as though they had taken notice of their manager's frustrations, bizarrely racing into a two-goal deficit just five minutes in as Forest pounced.

United have conceded goals from their own set pieces before - think Demba Ba for Istanbul Basaksehir - and a similar aching gap of space was charged into by Awoniyi as he latched onto Morgan Gibbs-White's flick beyond Marcus Rashford, who was acting as United's last line of defence. The Forest striker took his time to deftly finish with Andre Onana in his own world. It quietened the Old Trafford crown, but that stunned silence turned to incredulous groaning when Steve Cooper's side doubled their lead.

A wide free-kick from Gibbs-White provoked no reaction from United's defence and instead hit Boly squarely on the forehead, the ball bouncing slowly over the line with Onana stood rooted to the spot.

The Red Devils boasted an impressive home record last season - their 48 points bettered only by Manchester City's 52 - and that strong run of results was in major danger of ending after a meek opening. However, Ten Hag's side managed to claw themselves back into the contest with a goal of their own.

A long range blast from Fernandes could only be parried wide by Matt Turner, allowing Rashford to breeze past Serge Aurier and fire across to Eriksen - making his first league start of the season - who clipped in to half the deficit with only 17 minutes on the clock.

While the majority of the rest of the first half was United huffing and puffing, the chance of an equaliser passed Casemiro by as the unmarked Brazilian midfielder missed from point-blank range at the back stick.

The manner of United's equaliser showed a switch must have been flicked at half-time. A well-worked free kick saw Rashford clip into Fernandes' path, who headed towards Casemiro to take a touch and finish.

Antony, who had flitted in and out of the game, brought a smart save from Turner with a curler that just lacked the power to nestle in the far corner.

The hosts' chances of victory improved as the visitors were reduced to ten players. Joe Worrall was caught the wrong side of Fernandes on the edge of his box and hauled the United captain down, being shown a straight red card.

Forest were stretched too far with a player down and Danilo made a tired challenge on the quick Rashford, bringing him down in the area to give away a penalty. Fernandes slammed past an indecisive Turner to hand United the ascendency and comfort of the lead for the first time all afternoon.

United are now up in fifth with their second win of the league season, with Forest down in 14th after a second defeat of a one-goal margin.

Manchester United player ratings (4-2-3-1)

GK: Andre Onana - 5/10 - Sat himself down for Awoniyi's goal and looked perplexed by Boly's header.

RB: Aaron Wan-Bissaka - 6/10 - Lost out to Gibbs-White when Awoniyi scurried through.

CB: Raphael Varane - 5/10 - Was at the back of the defensive pack when Boly headed in. Replaced at half-time.

CB: Lisandro Martinez - 5/10 - Made some good passes into the final third. One of those afternoons where a few goals were needed to snap Martinez into life.

LB: Diogo Dalot - 5/10 - The solution to United's left-back crisis but struggled with the excellent running of Johnson.

CM: Casemiro - 7/10 - Did little to stop Boly aside from pushing with his arms. Showed more desire to convert from Fernandes' header to equalise.

CM: Christian Eriksen - 7/10 - Got into the box to convert Rashford's fizzed cross but couldn't keep up when Forest broke with pace.

RW: Antony - 6/10 - Made some threatening passes behind the Forest backline. Sometimes frustrating when making the wrong choice but not one of his worst afternoons.

AM: Bruno Fernandes - 8/10 - On the end of a nice free kick to provide Casemiro with his equaliser. Stepped things up in the second half and kept his cool with a slammed penalty.

LW: Marcus Rashford - 8/10 - Went outside Aurier with pace and picked out Eriksen. Great ball back into the mix for Fernandes to tee up Casemiro and won the penalty for the winner. Had a hand in all three goals with a committed display out wide.

ST: Anthony Martial - 5/10 - His one shot was blocked in an ineffective performance from the French forward.

Substitutes

Victor Lindelof (46' for Varane) - 6/10 - Helped United keep possession with not as much defending in the second half.

Jadon Sancho (60' for Martial) - 5/10 - Still not able to come on and influence proceedings in the way many expect.

Scott McTominay (85' for Antony) - N/A

Subs not used: Harry Maguire, Dean Henderson (GK), Facundo Pellistri, Alvaro Fernandez, Daniel Gore, Alejandro Garnacho

Manager

Erik ten Hag - 6/10 - Must have been seething with the abysmal start his side made but changes later on helped United to their second win of the season. Big improvements are needed, with the 'slow-starter' gene unlikely to be tolerated going forward.

Nottingham Forest player ratings (3-4-2-1)

GK: Matt Turner - 6/10 - Made a number of sprawling saves to preserve Forest's advantage before United eventually drew level. No chance with the penalty.

CB: Willy Boly - 6/10 - Seemed oblivious to the ball hitting him as Forest went two up.

CB: Joe Worrall - 4/10 - Was hit and miss in his aerial duels before being dismissed for bringing down Fernandes.

CB: Scott McKenna - 6/10 - Responsible for some of Forest's more agricultural defending, putting his head on plenty of closes.

RWB: Serge Aurier - 5/10 - Couldn't keep up with Rashford when United went to 2-1. Also booked.

CM: Danilo - 5/10 - Fast start with Forest alert in midfield early on but tired and eventually gave away a penalty as the visitors tired.

CM: Ryan Yates - 6/10 - Made four tackles - a tally only bettered by teammate Boly - and moved into defence when Forest went down to ten players.

LWB: Ola Aina - 6/10 - Booked but showed some creative dribbling down the left and largely coped well with Antony.

RF: Brennan Johnson - 7/10 - Seem really breezy runs down Forest's right, giving Dalot a tough time with his sharp dribbling.

LF: Morgan Gibbs-White - 8/10 - Did well to out-jump Wan-Bissaka before striking Boly's forehead for his second assist. Unlucky to be on the losing side.

ST: Taiwo Awoniyi - 7/10 - Was alert to race through and yet the opener. Won a lot in the air, which unsettled United's defence.

Substitutes

Moussa Niakhate (57' for McKenna) - 5/10 - Didn't misplace a pass and only had one header to win.

Cheikhou Kouyate (70' for Johnson) - 5/10 - Booked late in second-half stoppage time.

Anthony Elanga (80' for Danilo) - 5/10 - Back at Old Trafford not long after his transfer to Fores.

Chris Wood (80' for Awoniyi) - 5/10

Subs not used: Neco Williams, Remo Freuler, Gonzalo, Montiel, Ethan Horvath (GK), Hwang Ui-jo

Manager

Steve Cooper - 6/10 - Electric start would have had Cooper dreaming of a better away day than most of last season's trips. However, the two-goal lead wasn't enough and the red card robbed the visitors of a chance to hold out.

Player of the match - Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)

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