Diallo screamer saves point
Man Utd’s winning run came to an end at the City Ground as the struggling home side held them to a draw. After leading at half-time, the hosts roared back to put them on the brink of a rare win. Amad Diallo ensured that we went home with a least a point.
It was a disappointment for Forest who showed plenty of battling qualities in the second half. Morgan Gibbs White and Nicola Savona scored in the space of a few minutes to turn the game on its head. A point apiece was probably the right result though.
Ruben Amorim chose to name an unchanged side for the first time in his reign from the starting eleven against Brighton last Saturday. Sean Dyche also named an unchanged side from the team who lost to Bournemouth last weekend. Chris Wood remains out with a knee injury.
Both sides were on the attack in the opening stages. United won two corners and from the second Mats Sels almost set Dan Ndoye clear on a breakaway. Amad Diallo was able to intercept it in time. The Forest midfielder then forced Senne Lammens into action as he cut in from the left. The United keeper was able to tip it over the bar.
Elliot Anderson is a player linked with a potential move away and he was full of energy all game. He did well to intercept Matheus Cunha around the half hour just outside his own area and was able to get forward to assist the attack when needed. Sels was called into action for the first time not long after to deal with an effort from Diallo.
The home keeper was picking the ball out of his net a few minutes later though. Bryan Mbeumo swung in a cross towards Benjamin Sesko at the back post only for Nicola Savona to head it away. He thought he had prevented a corner only for the referee to award it. Bruno Fernandes took the corner and Casemiro rose unchallenged to head it home. Forest fumed but their defending was poor.
Anderson almost levelled it up just before the break but he was unable to meet Callum Hudson-Odoi’s pass in time.
He was instrumental to the home side drawing level a few minutes into the second half though. His cross-field pass out wide was collected by Hudson-Odoi. His first time cross to the back-post saw an overload and Morgan Gibbs White was the man to celebrate with a header into the bottom corner. Diallo should have done better with his defending but he had little protection.
Incredibly it was Forest then who found themselves in front. Another cross came into the box that was headed on by Igor Jesus. Diogo Dalot was caught ball watching and Savona was able to pounce on the loose ball for his first goal for the club.
Fernandes almost drew Utd level on the hour. The ball was won in midfield and left by Casemiro into the path of the reds captain. His low effort was arrowing into the bottom corner only for it to smack off the left post. Casemiro was unable to get ahead of his marker to get the rebound.
They were to clinch the leveller with around 10 minutes to go. Mbeumo’s corner from the right was only half-cleared by the Forest defence and came out to Diallo on the edge of the area. He met it with a precise half-volley that flew into the bottom corner.
Utd were pushing for the winner as the game entered the final minutes. And Diallo almost served it up. A short corner was played into Matthijs de Ligt at the back post caused panic and Diallo ran on to meet it with a volley into the bottom corner. Murillo was in the right place at the right time to hack it clear.
The winning run comes to an end but United must be pleased how they showed character to fight back to get something from the game. It was an encounter we very easily would have lost over the last few seasons. The last game prior to the international sees a trip to London to take on Spurs in the 12:30 kick-off on Saturday morning. Forest have an important encounter with Leeds at home on Sunday.
Nottingham Forest: Mats Sels, Nicola Savona, Nikola Milenkovic, Murillo, Neco Williams, Douglas Luiz (Ryan Yates 14), Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye, Morgan Gibbs White, Callum Hudson-Odi (Ibrahim Sangare 90+1), Igor Jesus (Taiwo Awoniyi 78).
Subs not used: John Victor, Filipe Morato, Arnaud Kalimuendo, Omari Hutchinson, Jair Cunha, James McAtee.
Booked: Dan Ndoye (62).
Sent off: None
Manchester United: Senne Lammens, Leny Yoro (Noussair Mazraoui 77), Matthijs de Ligt, Luke Shaw, Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes, Diogo Dalot (Patrick Dorgu 68), Amad Diallo, Matteus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko.
Subs not used: Altay Bayinder, Harry Maguire, Mason Mount, Joshua Zirkzee, Manuel Ugarte, Ayden Heaven, Kobee Mainoo.
Booked: Noussair Mazraoui (85)
Sent off: None
Referee: Darren England
Attendance: 30,778
Simply Red Man of the match: Amad Diallo
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