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Manchester United secured a 2-0 win against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Sunday, April 16.
Forest entered this game on the back of a dreadful run of form, wherein they picked up just one point in their last five games. Their last outing was a 2-0 defeat against a resurgent Aston Villa, which left them 18th in the table with 27 points prior to kick-off. Steve Cooper was desperate to turn things around as he named a strong lineup.
United, on the other hand, have won three, drawn one and lost one of their last five games across competitions. Their last game was a 2-2 draw against Sevilla in the Europa League after having led 2-0 for nearly 80 minutes. Erik ten Hag was without his key defenders and made a few tweaks to his backline.
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Manchester United made a positive start to the game as they looked to dominate possession and control the tempo. They kept the ball for 70% of the time in the first period as they looked to patiently break down Nottingham Forest's defensive lines. The Red Devils attempted seven shots, hitting the target four times.
Antony scored in the 32nd minute to put United 1-0 ahead after sustained pressure. Despite other attempts, they were unable to add to their tally as Ten Hag's men carried a slender one-goal advantage heading into the break.
Manchester United looked to force the issue in a bid to try and extend their lead in the early exchanges of the second half. They pushed forward in numbers in search of a second goal, which eventually arrived after several attempts at breaking down Nottingham's defense. Goalscorer Antony turned provider for United's second goal, setting up Diogo Dalot to make it 2-0.
The visitors did well to maintain their composure and discipline as they stuck together and rallied to secure the win. On that note, let's take a look at Manchester United's player ratings.
Manchester United Player Ratings
David De Gea - 6.5/10
De Gea had a decent game between the sticks but did not have to make any saves as Nottingham Forest misfired in the final third.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka - 7.5/10
Wan-Bissaka won six of his nine duels, making two tackles, two interceptions, one clearance and one block. He also played one key pass and completed three dribbles.
Harry Maguire - 7/10
Maguire put his team under pressure as he was cautioned in just the third minute but played well for the rest of the game. He won six duels, making seven clearances and three interceptions.
Victor Lindelof - 7/10
Lindelof had a good game on defense and looked solid in partnership with Maguire.
Diogo Dalot - 8/10
Dalot put in a quality performance and even grabbed a crucial goal for United. He won four of his six duels, making two tackles and one interception. He also played two key passes and two long balls.
Casemiro - 7/10
Casemiro had a good game in midfield for Manchester United as he won six duels. He played one key pass, one cross and three long balls.
Christian Eriksen - 7.5/10
Eriksen had a good game in the middle of the park for Manchester United. He won three of his four duels, making two interceptions, one tackle and one block. He also played three key passes, three crosses and two long balls.
Antony - 8.5/10
Antony had a very eventful game as he won four of his 11 duels and attempted seven shots but hit the target just once. He ended the game with one goal and one assist and played a key role in United's win.
Bruno Fernandes - 9/10
Fernandes put in a wonderful display and was unlucky not to be directly involved in the two goals his team scored. He played six key passes, one cross and three long balls. He also attempted five shots, hitting the target thrice. Fernandes also won four of his five duels.
Jadon Sancho - 6/10
Sancho had a poor outing and struggled to make an impact on the game for Manchester United.
Anthony Martial - 6/10
Martial put in a poor performance and was unable to get involved in the game to the extent he would have liked. He missed two big opportunities to score with the two shots he had.
Substitutes
Wout Weghorst - 6/10
Weghorst replaced Martial in the second period and had a decent game.
Fred - 6/10
Fred replaced Eriksen in the second half and put in a decent performance.
