Five things we learned from Man United’s victory over Nottingham Forest | OneFootball

Manchester United signed off at Old Trafford with a pulsating 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest this afternoon. It was an entertaining, fast-paced game that could have seen the Red Devils score even more goals had their finishing been of a higher standard.

It is an important victory for Michael Carrick, guaranteeing a third-placed finish in the Premier League and ensuring the Old Trafford faithful were rewarded for their loyalty and incredible support throughout the season. Let’s break down the five major talking points from this afternoon’s fixture.

Bruno equals the record

After winning the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year Award for a record-setting fifth time this week, it’s only fitting Bruno Fernandes equalled the all-time Premier League assist record in front of the Old Trafford faithful. The world-class midfielder etched his name into the history books alongside Premier League greats Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne when Bryan Mbuemo poked home his zipped cross in the 76th minute.

Fernandes came close to breaking the record on several occasions, most notably when Diogo Dalot took the ball from him on the edge of the Forest box and struck the post with a good effort.

Shaw’s consistency gets rewarded

Not even the most hopeful United fan would have believed that, with just a single game of the season to go, Luke Shaw would be the only player to have started every Premier League game for the Red Devils. It is a staggering achievement for a player who managed just 27 appearances across the previous two seasons.

Against Nottingham Forest, Shaw finally got the reward his consistency deserves. He showed remarkable composure when the ball fell to him inside the Forest box in the fifth minute of the match, bringing the ball down brilliantly before rifling a finish into the bottom corner.

Gary Neville described it as ‘a rare moment’ on Sky Sports’ commentary and he certainly isn’t wrong, though it is a moment sure to bring a smile to the faces of United fans everywhere given the hard work Shaw has put in to remain fit throughout the entire season.

Casemiro’s Old Trafford farewell

The emotion was evident on Casemiro’s face as he walked out to represent the Red Devils at Old Trafford for the final time. The Brazilian international has formed a strong connection with the fans in his four seasons at the club, and he will be sorely missed when he departs at the end of the season.

Casemiro had the chance to sign off with a bang when he put an effort just wide of the post in the first half. He did not let that get him down, though, and went on to produce a typically dominant and combative performance in the middle of the pitch, combining some excellent forward passes with well-timed crunching tackles.

Every United fan was rightly on their feet when Casemiro walked off the pitch for the final time in the 80th minute, showing their appreciation for a player who has contributed so much to the club, not least of all his nine Premier League goals this season.

Mbuemo finally finds his shooting boots

In the absence of the injured Benjamin Sesko, Mbuemo was handed the opportunity to play up front and the Cameroonian international certainly had his chances to end his goal drought. For a long while, it seemed as though his twelve-game goal famine was going to extend.

Firstly, Mbuemo struck the post after knocking the ball around Matt Sels in the first half. Then, early in the second half, he blazed over from inside the six-yard box after some good work by Amad on the right-hand side. Most disappointingly of all, the ex-Brentford player seemed to squander the chance for Fernandes to equal the Premier League assist record.

The Portuguese playmaker sent Mbuemo through with a neat pass and, perhaps unsurprisingly given his earlier misses, he sent the ball high over the Forest net yet again. In the first 75 minutes of the game, United’s striker squandered an xG of over 1.7, failing to hit the target with any of his five shots.

Thankfully, Mbuemo managed to make amends by tapping home a fierce cross in the 76th minute, ending his goal drought and ensuring he left the pitch on a positive note when he was replaced by Joshua Zirkzee.

Elliot Anderson shows his class

Rumours have long been circling suggesting that Elliot Anderson may well be the man United want to replace the departing Casemiro this summer, and the Forest midfielder certainly showed why he is so highly rated in an energetic and creative performance at Old Trafford. Not only did he win three fouls and seemingly cover every blade of grass on the pitch, the England international also showed his quality on the ball by claiming the assists for both Forest goals.

Firstly, he whipped in a delicious cross after outmuscling Amad from a short corner routine that was headed home by Morato. Then he fired the ball into Morgan Gibbs-White, who showed remarkable composure to adjust his body and find the far corner.

Should the highly-rated midfielder arrive at Old Trafford, fans will be excited to see him deliver such a strong performance in United red.

Featured image by Molly Darlington/Getty Images

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