Manchester United suffered back-to-back Premier League defeats to Nottingham Forest for the first time since Brian Clough masterminded the feat during the 1992-93 campaign.
Ruben Amorim’s men delivered a largely comfortable performance but ultimately fell to a 1-0 Anthony Elanga-infused setback despite dominating the football and chances on goal.
As has been the case throughout a traumatic season, an inability to display cutting-edge in the final third has again proven the Achilles heel, with a dejected Alejandro Garnacho throwing himself to the ground at the final whistle.
The disappointing result pins United in 13th position and extends the wait for consecutive Premier League victories. In contrast, Forest’s remarkable story continues as they extend their cushion in third place to eight points.
Another case of what could have been for Manchester United against Forest
A rousing chorus of the Mull of Kintyre greeted the players as they made their way out at the City Ground, echoing scenes of the glory days under Clough.
Despite the partisan setting, United settled well and looked relatively comfortable during the opening exchanges, with Bruno Fernandes earning the opening corner following a rasping effort after four minutes.
But confidence is oozing through these Forest players, and Elanga’s opener emphasised this emphatically with a scintillating 92-yard counter-attack break and finish from the resulting set-piece.
While disappointed to fall behind, Amorim was visibly pleased with his side’s response, showcasing a variety of interplay and close control befitting of his intricate system.
With half an hour played, United held 66% of possession, with six efforts to one, as Nuno Espirito Santo watched his side retreat into an 11-man defensive block.
An off-the-ball injury to Ola Aina returned six minutes of additional time, but a revamped five-man Forest defence repelled wave after wave of United assaults to end the half with a goal lead.
In response to unwavering defiance, Amorim introduced Rasmus Hojlund for Manuel Ugarte ahead of the restart, committing an additional body to a red onslaught at the City Ground.
But, try as they may, the home side remained dogged in their defensive structure and offered more in transition than they did in the first.
The former Sporting chief then devoted a further body to his attack, with Christian Eriksen replacing Casemiro with an hour played, signalling a clear intent in retort to the frustrating approach installed by their opposition.
Much to the joy of the travelling support, Mason Mount made his eagerly-awaited return after 77 minutes for his first outing since the December Manchester derby. He came within inches of levelling the fixture within 60 seconds with a fine effort from distance.
With one final roll of the dice, Amorim sent Harry Maguire into a two-man attack with two minutes of regulation time remaining, and the former captain came close to finding an elusive goal almost immediately.
Noussair Mazraoui delivered a lofted cross towards Maguire at the back post, with his instinctive effort clattering Nicolas Dominguez and beating Matz Sels before Murillo cleared off the line.
The City Ground erupted at the final whistle, while United players slumped to their knees in disbelief. Amorim’s men enjoyed 643 passes against 305, attempting 23 shots on goal with a staggering 68% possession.
Disappointment has become a regular pill for this group to swallow, and they will have five days to pick themselves up before Pep Guardiola and his City side arrive at Old Trafford.
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