There is no light in sight for Nigeria’s AFCON 2022 player, Taiwo Awoniyi as his Nottingham Forest are getting further lost in the thick forest of relegation after visiting Manchester United secured a 2-0 win to boost their top-four position this season.
Goals from Antony and Diogo Dalot were enough to ensure that Manchester United capitalised on Newcastle and Tottenham’s slip-ups.
The Red Devils were back to their past at the City Ground on Sunday, earning a massive win that gives them a three point lead in third place in the Premier League table.
Man United so nearly took the lead inside the opening minute when Jadon Sancho latched onto a loose ball in the heart of the penalty area after Keylor Navas failed to punch a low cross clear of danger. Sancho’s subsequent first-time side-footed effort on goal, although it beat Navas, failed to find its way past Felipe, who rushed back to block the ball.
The majority of the opening half hour was very evenly contested after that, with Forest causing Man Utd problems from set pieces and the visitors causing problems from open play.
It would be the latter that’d lead to the first goal of the game when Anthony Martial stole the ball off of Danilo in the final third.
After nabbing the ball and playing a smart one-two with Bruno Fernandes, the French forward would see a low strike from just inside the penalty area saved by Navas, but punched into the path of Antony who was able to slot home the opener with ease at the back post.
Not to be deterred by going behind, the home side pressed forward with intent in search of an equaliser, and came close to getting one in the 43rd minute.
Taiwo Awoniyi, however, was unable to keep his first-time strike from the edge of the penalty area on target – seeing it fly over the crossbar.
A few moments later, Forest were almost made to pay for that missed opportunity when Fernandes found himself unmarked from a Christian Eriksen cross. The attacking midfielder rose well but headed his resulting effort just wide of the post.
Fernandes would come even closer to doubling Man Utd’s lead at the start of the second half, seeing a ferocious first-time effort from the edge of the box tipped onto the crossbar by Navas.
On the hour mark Fernandes once again called Navas into action, this time forcing the PSG loanee to tip a low strike round his post.
Ten minutes later, Martial really should’ve doubled Man Utd’s lead when he rose between two Forest defenders at the back post. The forward was unable to keep his header on target however.
In the 76th minute, Man Utd finally got their second. It would come courtesy of Diogo Dalot, who latched onto a lovely through ball from Antony before expertly side-footing past Navas.