Nottingham Forest kicked off at the City Ground sat in the relegation zone, but a win over United would have moved them above 17th place Everton.
As for Manchester United, they were helped out in their hunt for Champions League football after Tottenham and Newcastle both lost on Saturday.
However, the Red Devils still had to face Forest without two of their best players as Lisandro Martinez and Marcus Rashford are out injured.
When all was said and done on Sunday, Manchester United came away with the win.
Manchester United nearly scored inside a minute but Felipe blocked a Jadon Sancho effort that had beaten Keylor Navas.
Navas then made a superb save to keep out a powerful Bruno Fernandes strike after 17 minutes.
GOAL! Nottingham Forest 0-1 Man Utd 🚨
Manchester United finally make their dominance count thanks to a goal from Antony pic.twitter.com/LapNiVivFw
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 16, 2023
Forest had a great chance to equalise right before the break when a loose Diogo Dalot touch put the ball into Awoniyi’s path but he fired his effort over.
Manchester United began the second 45 on top, with Bruno Fernandes rattling the post after 56 minutes.
The home outfit’s first decent chance of the second half came 73 minutes in. A corner was floated onto the head of Felipe but he was close to the goal and put too much power on his header.
Minutes later, Diogo Dalot went up the other end and made it 2-0 to hand United the three points.
📰 Table Of Contents
Player ratings
Nottingham Forest
- GK: Keylor Navas (7.5)
- CB: Felipe (6.5)
- CB: Scott Mckenna (6)
- CB: Moussa Niakhate (6)
- RWB: Neco Williams (6.5)
- CM: Remo Freuler (6)
- CM: Danilo (6)
- LWB: Rennan Lodi (6.5)
- CAM: Morgan Gibbs-White (6)
- ST: Taiwo Awoniyi (6)
- ST: Brennan Johnson (5.5)
Substitutes
- Sam Surridge (5)
- Orel Mangala (5)
- Emmanuel Dennis (4)
- Jesse Lingard (N/A)
Manchester United
- GK: David de Gea (6.5)
- RB: Aaron Wan-Bissaka (6.5)
- CB: Victor Lindelof (6.5)
- CB: Harry Maguire (6.5)
- LB: Diogo Dalot (7.5)
- CDM: Casemiro (5.5)
- CDM: Christian Eriksen (7)
- CAM: Bruno Fernandes (8)
- RW: Antony (8)
- ST: Anthony Martial (6)
- LW: Jadon Sancho (6)
Substitutes
- Wout Weghosrt (5)
- Fred (5)
Match reaction
Dalot very lucky. Such a heavy touch when a first-time clearance would have been fine. Fernandes pass inside, intercepted by Gibbs-White to start counter, not the smartest either. #MUFC
— Laurie Whitwell (@lauriewhitwell) April 16, 2023
Antony’s first half by numbers vs. Nottingham Forest:
90% pass accuracy
40 touches
26 passes completed
19/21 final third passes completed
2 ball recoveries
1 goalGives United the lead at the break. 💫 pic.twitter.com/1rdoi7uUUs
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) April 16, 2023
Bruno Fernandes’ first half by numbers vs. Nottingham Forest:
46 touches
25 passes completed
17/21 final third passes completed
4 ball recoveries
1/1 long balls completed
1/1 dribbles completed
1/1 ground duels won
1/1 aerial duels won
1 key passRunning things. 🪄 pic.twitter.com/A0fX0BcYUZ
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) April 16, 2023
Very good save from Navas, especially as shot by Fernandes took a deflection. Came from nice De Gea kick out to Eriksen, whose first-time pass sparked the attack. #MUFC
— Laurie Whitwell (@lauriewhitwell) April 16, 2023
Maguire’s disciplinary record is appalling now.
He’s stopped trusting himself/his teammates to get the timing right on his more aggressive tackles and now hopes the referee *only* gives him a yellow card. https://t.co/YA6AmYTAEX
— Carl Anka (@Ankaman616) April 16, 2023
The weight on the ball from Bruno to Martial was lovely. Easy for Antony. #MUFC
— Tom McDermott (@MrTomMcDermott) April 16, 2023
Eriksen has been so smooth on his impromptu return to the starting line-up. Pinpoint cross with his weaker foot, there. Really good late run by Fernandes but he should score. #MUFC
— Laurie Whitwell (@lauriewhitwell) April 16, 2023
15 – Antony has scored his first goal in 15 Premier League appearances – he had attempted 38 shots without a goal in the competition before scoring against Nottingham Forest. Awaited. pic.twitter.com/xfaOXa2l78
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 16, 2023
Casemiro sloppy today… #Mufc
— Managing Football (@MUFC_Germany) April 16, 2023
Can’t fault the energy and effort, That’s one thing that is better. But again it’s the tactics / formation causing us problems #nffc
— Craig (@Craig74Nov) April 16, 2023
casemiro has been bad today
— ⁹❄️ (@BeastMartial) April 16, 2023
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