CITY GROUND, NOTTINGHAM — Manchester United brought down the curtain on their 2023 with a dour display in a defeat to relegation-battling Nottingham Forest, with Morgan Gibbs-White striking the winner.
The Red Devils approached this winless in their last four away games across all competitions, though had some renewed energy following the £1.25 billion partial takeover (25%) of the club by Jim Ratcliffe on Christmas Eve, and the remarkable 3-2 comeback victory over Aston Villa on Boxing Day.
But a horrendous first half lacked any semblance of that reinvigoration, as Erik ten Hag's men instead set about creating the cure for insomnia.
Antony, given a chance to end his 29-game goalless run as Rasmus Hojlund pulled out through illness, roamed but to very little effect. Fellow frontmen Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford also struggled for any spark. Ten Hag used his post-match press conference to bemoan the "lack of speed".
Christian Eriksen popped the ball around well at times and looked his usual self, but there was nothing at the end of the puppeteer's strings. At the back, Jonny Evans and Raphael Varane both had shaky moments, with Forest looking the more likely goal threat.
Anthony Elanga, formerly of United, understandably looked like a man on a mission as he manufactured opportunities down both flanks and applied a whole heap of pressure on the centre-backs, while also zipping in a couple of dangerous crosses.
After the break, it was much of the same, before Antony was quickly hauled off for Amad Diallo's first appearance of the season. Diallo made an instant impact by raising the tempo and making a move that led to Diogo Dalot striking the post.
But United soon settled back into their plodding pattern, and Forest deservedly took the lead through Nicolas Dominguez. His sweet strike from inside the box crept inside Andre Onana's left post. Ten Hag was serenaded with chants of "you're getting sacked in the morning" as his troops failed to respond in any meaningful manner.
Then, a late Christmas present from Matt Turner. The American goalkeeper played the ball out but Garnacho slid in to intercept before it could reach Moussa Niakhate. The sprightly young winger pounced brilliantly, playing it across to Rashford, who made no mistake as he slotted home in a rare central appearance.
United looked like they would once again steal the points, as Garnacho brilliantly latched onto a long ball and laid it off to Eriksen, who stung the palms of Turner. The visitors were finally in the mood.
That lasted all of a few seconds. Forest broke down the other end through Elanga, who deservedly got his assist for the day and showed United what they were missing. The winger squared to Gibbs-White, who responded to pre-match praise from his manager with a composed finish — like Dominguez, wide-open on the edge of the box, beating Onana to his left.
MORE: Latest odds on next Premier League manager to be sacked
United took control of possession but offered very little in terms of true threat to Turner's goal afterwards, save for a deflected Bruno Fernandes effort that the former Arsenal stopper did well to tip over.
Nuno Espirito Santo's men held on to clinch a second straight win and kickstart their survival push under the new boss, pulling five points clear of the relegation zone on a day when all four of the teams below them dropped points.
For United, the pressure will ramp up once again on Ten Hag, whose calendar year started so promisingly with the Carabao Cup triumph. It ends in disarray, with his team looking devoid of any imagination.
This was a ninth league loss of the campaign, as many as they suffered in the entirety of 2022/23. Sitting nine points adrift of the top four having played a game more, while already crashing out of Europe and the Carabao Cup, the FA Cup is now the only big prize left to play for at the turn of the year.
Forest made this famous old ground on the banks of the Trent a fortress last season, with notable victories over Arsenal and Liverpool. The scalp of United — for the first time in 29 years — has now been added to that, and the Reds will be confident of repeating the feat against Arsenal in their next home game, in exactly one month.
Both sides now have a two-week wait for their next league fixture, with the FA Cup third round next weekend seeing United face Wigan Athletic and Forest host Blackpool.
Nottingham Forest vs Man United final score
| Score | Goalscorers | |
| Nottingham Forest | 2 | Dominguez (63), Gibbs-White (82) |
| Man United | 1 | Rashford (78) |
Nottingham Forest vs Man United lineups
Nottingham Forest XI: Turner (GK) — Montiel, Niakhate, Murillo, Aina — Yates, Danilo — Elanga, Gibbs-White, Dominguez — Wood.
Man United XI: Onana (GK) — Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Evans, Dalot — Eriksen, Mainoo — Garnacho, Fernandes, Antony — Rashford.
Nottingham Forest vs Man United live stream, TV channel
| Region | TV | Streaming |
| USA | NBC USA, Peacock | Fubo, Universo NOW, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo |
| Canada | — | |
| UK | Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League | Sky GO, Now TV |
| Australia | — | Optus Sport |
| India | Star Sports Select 1, Star Sports 2 and 3 Asia | Hotstar VIP, JioTV |
