Forest battles to victory as United ends 2023 with defeat
Morgan Gibbs-White fired Nottingham Forest to a first victory against Manchester United since 1994 as Erik ten Hag’s side ended a topsy-turvy year with a whimper.
The Red Devils had won the sides’ past 11 meetings in all competitions, but new boss Nuno Espirito Santo would celebrate a memorable second win in just five days.
Gibbs-White’s super late strike from the edge of the box wrapped up a memorable 2-1 triumph after Marcus Rashford had capitalised on a terrible Matt Turner pass to cancel out Nicolas Dominguez’s opener.
This was United’s 14th defeat in all competitions this term and a miserable end to the year for a side that was a pale imitation of the one that roared back to beat Aston Villa on Boxing Day.
Matchwinner Rasmus Hojlund was absent through illness and Ten Hag’s team underperformed at The City Ground, where a forgettable first half made way for a pulsating second period.
Rodriguez fired Forest ahead in the 64th minute, only for under-fire Turner to see a poor pass cut out as Rashford went on to rifle home a 78th-minute leveller.
But the goalkeeper helped make amends four minutes later, denying Christian Eriksen before the hosts raced up the field and Gibbs-White slammed the hosts back ahead.
Turner held firm in stoppage-time to ensure Forest beat United at home for the first time since 1992.
