Manchester United looked dead as they arrived five minutes into their match with Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Tayo Owonyi scored a goal two minutes after the whistle and Willy Boly added another two minutes later to give Forest a quick 2-0 lead. For a United side who were beaten 2-0 by Tottenham just a week ago, another defeat – no less at the hands of a team that finished 16th in the table last season – would have been a devastating start to the season.
But after goals from Christian Eriksen and Casemiro in the 17th and 52nd minutes leveled the match, United captain Bruno Fernandes scored a penalty kick in the 76th minute to give Manchester the lead, and eventually the win.
Fernandez’s goal capped off a series of rowdy events in the game that led to Forest’s demise. And the heart of the defense, Joe Worrall, received a red card after a fatal mistake on Fernandez in the 67th minute, and midfielder Danilo Oliveira blocked United striker Marcus Rashford inside the penalty area, to take the penalty kick.
Before all this, United seemed lost in defense and uninspired in attack. Help me Liberation In the second minute, he overtook goalkeeper Andre Onana to score the opening goal. Boley doubled Forest’s lead in the fourth minute with a fine header from a Morgan Gibbs-White free kick.
But that was as good as Forrest was looking for the rest of the game.
United held their ground defensively, cooled down attacking and found different ways to score throughout the game.
Eriksen caught a pass from Rashford in front of Forest and USMNT goalkeeper Matt Turner and scored United’s opening goal. Casemiro equalized shortly after the end of the first half after a pass from Fernandez in the 52nd minute. Fernandez ignited a wonderful free ball that found its way to him inside the penalty area, where he passed the ball to Casemiro to score the easy goal.
The win brings United’s points total to six after three matches. This keeps them ahead of the leading teams like Manchester City, Tottenham, Arsenal and Brighton. United plays Arsenal next week away from home.
