Man Utd winning run ends at City Ground with draw against Nottingham Forest
After three straight wins, Manchester United were looking like a team that was headed in the right direction. However, a dramatic draw at the City Ground against Nottingham Forest put a halt to Ruben Amorim’s winning streak.
Here, Sports News Blitz’s Robert Bore reflects on Manchester United’s Premier League draw.
Casemiro’s header puts United ahead in controversial fashion
I'm going to level with you folks, I missed the first half. Well, to be exact, I missed the first 39 minutes.
And from pulling up in the car at 0-0 in what sounded relatively even on the old radio box, by the time I'd got my shit together, we were ahead.
So I'm sat here now waiting for the replay of the header from the best Brazilian since Pele. And it sounds as though it was shrouded in controversy.
Oh dear. Was the ball in or was it out?
Like I care. You play to the whistle, lads, and Forest didn't as Casemiro rose like a salmon in spring from Bruno Fernandes' corner to nod almost unopposed past Matz Sels.
Anything else of note in the opening 45 minutes, nah, not really. Half chances at best, but the only stat that mattered at the time of writing was the 0-1 scoreline on the banks of the River Trent.
A glimpse at the live table and United were currently sat in second.
Happy Days.
Forest turn the game around with two quick-fire goals
Within five minutes of the restart, the United defence had decided to forget how to play football.
First up, it was United's turn to feel aggrieved as Amad Diallo looked to have been given a shove in the back before conceding a corner.
It was no surprise when the footballing Gods decided to level things up and Forest equalised from the head of Morgan Gibbs-White.
Ok, let's dig in for 10 minutes, silence the crowd and get back to it.
No such luck. Forest were ahead a mere 102 seconds later after more calamity at the back.
I slate him every week, but my old mate Diogo Dalot stood statuesque as a Forest header fell to Nicola Savona, who gobbled up from close range.
Where are my car keys?
It should have been level on the hour mind.
Fernandes struck from the outside of the box with the outside of his boot across the keeper, but saw his effort cannon back off the post with Casemiro putting the rebound into the side netting. It deserved better.
Forest skipper Ryan Yates almost burst into tears when the referee refused to yellow-card Casemiro soon after, doing his best to beg the Brazilian into the book.
United search for inspiration as Forest hold firm
But how would United get back into this game?
Benjamin Sesko off, maybe, Mason Mount on, Matheus Cunha through the middle? Dalot on loan to Rochdale?
There were 25 minutes left, and United needed inspiration as Forest defended deep, confident in their ability to soak up the pressure. In the style of Gandalf, 'You shall not pass.'
United needed someone to do some conjuring. They would have needed divine intervention had Callum Hudson-Odoi's curling effort not snuck the wrong side of the post.
Patrick Dorgu replaced Dalot on the left, but Forest still looked the more dangerous side.
Leny Yoro sold Amad short as Forest piled forward again, but the visitors survived a few half scares.
Pressure at the other end was stalled when Yates went down to earn his side a breather while Yoro made way for the returning Noussair Mazraoui.
We were back underway after a seemingly unnecessary, lengthy delay. Yates was fine.
But the clock wasn't.
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Diallo rescues a point with a late strike
I needn't have worried. Bryan Mbuemo won a corner that Fernandes in-swinged to the far post.
Typically, Casemiro got on the end of it with a nod back across goal that Dorgu maybe should have converted, but the clearance found our own little magician Diallo, who struck a beautiful first-time left-foot volley past Selz to make it 2-2 with nine minutes left.
They couldn't, could they?
Cunha was trying his best, firing straight at Sels when perhaps he might have done better, and Sesko lifted one over the top after a good run from the former Wolves man. It looked to have nicked a defender, but no corner.
Mazraoui almost cost United the game with a cheap giveaway, but United scrambled it away, and we awaited the fourth official's board for afters - which showed a paltry five minutes added when I was expecting closer to 10.
Casemiro had a pop from 25 yards that bounced just over off a defender with Sels stranded. Could this be it?
No. But only just not, with Murillo blocking a rocket from Diallo on his own line. That was the chance. The whistle brought a pretty entertaining second half to a close.
A reminder of progress, but familiar issues linger
After the last few weeks, I have to admit this felt like a little 'after the Lord Mayor's show.'
Familiar frailties resurfaced, and two goals were given away in less than two minutes after failing to come out for the second half.
However, credit where it is due. It's not long ago United would have lost this game 3-1, not taken a decent point. And they could have won it at the end.
Ruben Amorim has claimed his side is showing character, and you can't argue with that today.
So we were sat in second place for a quarter of an hour or so, wouldn't have had many backers of that going into October.
Next up, a trip to Spurs on Saturday, November 8, at lunchtime. Hopefully, I remember when kick-off is.
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