For 89 minutes, the only element that was elite about Manchester United was the quality of their support. The long-suffering, 4,000-strong travelling contingent sang endlessly, even about going to Wembley even when Nottingham Forest threatened to embarrass their team. Their players raised their game only in Fergie time, quick thinking finally replacing sluggishness.
United’s talented but overemotional captain, Bruno Fernandes, had done little all game but suddenly delivered a clever free kick, given for Anthony Elanga’s foul on Diogo Dalot, targeting the near post, finding Casemiro. The Brazilian’s stooping, flicked header set up an enticing, cancel-all-leave epic of an FA Cup quarter-final against Liverpool. Jürgen Klopp’s farewell tour just got livelier: Old Trafford on March 16 or 17 in the cup, then April 7 in the league. The Stretford End will go hoarse.
Their team will need to play far better than this if they are to live with Liverpool, and even more so against Manchester City on Sunday. United have won seven of their past nine games yet remain unconvincing. Erik ten Hag claimed Fernandes was “targeted” by Forest which was unfair, as Nuno Espírito Santo wouldn’t let his teams play that way, although the United manager has a point about the targeting of the player on social media.
Fernandes doesn’t help himself with his occasional histrionics but his commitment to the team cannot be doubted. If he is carrying an injury, Fernandes should sit the international break out. At least he ended with an assist.
Fernandes also executed a smart short-corner routine with Alejandro Garnacho that teed up Antony, who hit the bar after three minutes. Antony was presented with this opportunity by Ten Hag to show his worth, and win over the doubters, but he faded and was withdrawn to a predictable chorus of “what a waste of money” from the locals.
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Watching on was Sir Dave Brailsford, the Ineos director of sport who was sitting next to Sir Alex Ferguson. One of the most immediate challenges for Brailsford, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, will be in instilling an elite performance culture at United, in pruning the squad and then refreshing it with younger, hungrier players, individuals with character.
United didn’t have anyone with the confidence and determination of Morgan Gibbs-White, who even though not at his creative best constantly impressed with the intelligence of his movement. At one point, Forest’s left back Harry Toffolo was caught upfield, and Gibbs-White had spotted the possibility of a United counter and sprinted back to fill the gap.
Included among the many concerns for Brailsford was how toothless United look without Rasmus Hojlund, who should at least be back from his muscle problem for the quarter-final. Marcus Rashford ran hard at centre forward but to little effect, and failing to get his two decent chances on target. Rashford prefers playing on the left, and cutting in, but his team urgently need him through the middle, and they need him contributing more than this.
Ten Hag definitely needs his No 10 producing more. These are tense times for Ten Hag, a good manager struggling to impose his philosophy because of the recurring injury issues. He has lost the left side of his defence, both elite players in Lisandro Martínez and Luke Shaw. He’s wary of over-playing Kobbie Mainoo, the teenager who brings such control to midfield. If his major signing of Antony is a serial disappointment, then Ten Hag does deserve praise for his desire to recruit André Onana, who impressed again here.
The pressure Ten Hag felt was very visible after 34 minutes. This cup tie was so important for United’s season and his credibility. Ten Hag was furious that a throw-in was given against his team. It was only a throw-in, only on the halfway line, but he was apoplectic. Ten Hag remonstrated with the assistant Neil Davies, gestured towards the fourth official David Webb, and then received a lecture from Chris Kavanagh. “Cry in a minute,” chorused Forest fans, breaking off from barracking Wayne Rooney here on BBC punditry duty. Clearly his Derby County connection has not been forgotten by Forest fans.
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Such was the absence in movement in United’s attack, Rooney would have fancied his chances, even at 38. United still conjured up a couple of first-half headed chances by Scott McTominay from Diogo Dalot crosses, both saved by Matt Turner.
Sofyan Amrabat was used at left back with responsibility for inverting into midfield, giving Casemiro some much-needed assistance. The inevitable problem with Amrabat’s positioning was a vulnerability to the counter. Divock Origi was two yards adrift of Amrabat, level within a second, and ahead within two, but his shot was easy for Onana.
Origi was on the right of Nuno’s 4-2-3-1 system, causing plenty of problems for last season’s beaten finalists with Elanga on the left. Gibbs-White was central, ghosting past Casemiro so easily at one point, and looking to release Taiwo Awoniyi. Forest were good. Neco Williams shot just wide. Onana saved from Awoniyi.
The cameras, looking for interest in the crowd, moved away from Brailsford and Ferguson and focused briefly on another pair sitting side by side, Mark Clattenburg and Howard Webb. Clattenburg has added Forest’s referees’ analyst to his portfolio of work, advising Nuno. So Webb’s presence was intriguing, and amusing, as it looked like the referees’ chief was almost man-marking Clattenburg. Other clubs have employed former referees, and Clattenburg’s recruitment reflected Forest’s frustration with some VAR decisions.
There was a VAR check on Casemiro’s goal. Raphaël Varane was off but was he obstructing Ryan Yates? Forest’s captain could not have reached Casemiro anyway. Casemiro looked nervously at the screen and at Kavanagh, who soon, rightly, signalled the goal. Relief flooded through United, whose fans simply sang about Wembley again.
Forest targeted Fernandes, claims Ten Hag
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Erik ten Hag accused Nottingham Forest of targeting Bruno Fernandes and hit out at “pathetic” criticism over the playmaker’s injury.
The Manchester United captain was an injury doubt for the FA Cup clash against Nottingham Forest but made himself available to play and popped up with the assist for Casemiro’s 89th minute winner.
Ten Hag said he was pleased that both Fernandes and Raphaël Varane had put themselves forward to play but would not elaborate on the type of problem or if he had needed injections to play.
“I don’t go into that because you saw that Forest was targeting him so I don’t want to say what he has, it was a serious injury,” the United manager said. “I have seen that media and social media criticised him and that’s pathetic and can’t be. He has a serious injury but he continued to play on Saturday and he fought to be available in this game and he has a very high pain threshold. It shows his leadership because he expresses his character and that is very good when you are a leader in the team.”
While Ten Hag believed there were “many fouls” on his captain, Nuno Espírito Santo denied that there was a plan to hurt the Portugal playmaker.
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“He’s a very good player who needs to be controlled but not ever by trying to injure him. I didn’t see what Erik saw,” the Forest head coach said.
FA Cup quarter-final draw
Wolves v Coventry City
Manchester United v Liverpool
Chelsea v Leicester City
Manchester City v Newcastle United
Nottingham Forest (4-2-3-1) M Turner 7 — N Williams 7, Felipe 7, Murillo 7, H Toffolo 7 — R Yates 7 (G Reyna 93), Danilo 6 (R Ribeiro 93) — A Elanga 6, M Gibbs-White 7, D Origi 7 (C Hudson-Odoi 79) — T Awoinyi 7.
Manchester United (4-2-3-1) A Onana 7 — D Dalot 7, R Varane 6, V Lindelof 6, S Amrabat 5 (J Evans 94) — Casemiro 7, S McTominay 6 (K Mainoo 94) — A Garnacho 6, B Fernandes 6, Antony 5 (A Diallo 72) — M Rashford 5. Booked Lindelof.
Referee C Kavanagh. Attendance 28,665
