Premier League news: Man Utd overcome Nottingham Forest as Bruno Fernandes equals assist record

Manchester United overcame a spirited Nottingham Forest side 3-2 at Old Trafford on Sunday to secure third spot on the Premier League table.

Goals from Luke Shaw, Matheus Cunha, and Bryan Mbeumo got the job done for Michael Carrick’s charges while Morato and Morgan Gibbs-White struck for the Tricky Trees.

Here, Sports News Blitz writer Robert Bore reviews the final home game of the season for the Red Devils.

In with the new, out with the old

The day began with two clear narratives:

1. The seemingly impending inauguration of Carrick as United’s new permanent manager on a reported two-year deal.

2. The abdication of Casemiro as the darling of Old Trafford.

Both leave you misty-eyed when viewed through rose-tinted specs, but it could be argued that the reality is perhaps a little darker.

In terms of Carrick, it’s a difficult one. You cannot argue with his record and what he has done since the dark days of the Ruben Amorim era.

Champions League guaranteed and third place within reach – both the pipiest of dreams at the turn of the year.

Fast forward 10 wins from 15 going into the game and there’s a calmness around Old Trafford. No dressing room noise, the stories from the board room fewer and farther between.

And let’s be honest, I like him. What a player, what a Red. Same feeling I have for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but we know how that ended.

So yes, I’m torn between my heart and my head. But you play the hand in front of you so let’s see how it goes.    

Next up, Casemiro. Uncle Cass.

What a second half of the season he has had. A million tackles per game, goals, and a clear affection for the club.

“One more year…” Sign me up!

I admit, I was one of those guilty of thinking his best days were well behind him, especially in the first half of the campaign.

As we know, though, that period was also punctuated by the glaring absence of one Kobbie Mainoo, ostracised by Amorim and thankfully brought back into the fold by Carrick. The rest has been history.

But has the Brazilian brought Mainoo on or did the Englishman unlock Casemiro’s legs?

The numbers do tell one story, though. United had won 77% of their Premier League games this term when the pair started, drawing two and losing one of 13, compared to a 35% win rate with one of them missing.

And there is a landfill-sized hole to fill in the United midfield next season, although there was one possible replacement on show for the visitors in the shape of much-wanted England international Elliot Anderson.

It added to what little intrigue there was with nothing to play for.

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Red Devils strike first in bright first half

United made three changes, the aforementioned Casemiro, Diogo Dalot, and Mbeumo drafted back in for Mason Mount, Noussair Mazraoui, and Joshua Zirkzee, respectively.

Not that any of that mattered as United went ahead bang on the fifth minute.

Dalot’s cross was half-cleared and recycled to Bruno Fernandes with, for him, a pretty poor loft into the box, but Forest defender Neco Williams only half-cleared when given his chance and Shaw, ever-present in the league this season, had time and space to take a touch and then cut across the ball with a sweet left-foot strike that curled delicately into the far corner.

It was poor from Forest, who were maybe more surprised that the left-back would a) shoot and b) get it on target.

Nonetheless, his fourth United goal was chalked up and first in 73 games.

There was little of note up until the 20th minute when Forest almost levelled, Gibbs-White denied by the legs of Senne Lammens although he might have been narrowly offside had he converted.

United broke immediately with some sublime one-touch play on the edge of their own box, releasing Cunha to drive goalward through the middle and play in Mbeumo behind.

He looked to have done everything right as he went round Matz Sels but from the tightening angle could only find the base of the post with a clang, Casemiro narrowly wide with the follow-up effort.

It was the 20th time this season the hosts had hit the woodwork.

It was still a decent game for a dead rubber, Nicolás Domínguez heading over at one end, Lisandro Martínez having a shot blocked by Anderson at the other, and Amad Diallo heading over from a Dalot cross.

Half-time was ushered in with United's lead intact, noticeable that Casemiro and Elliot Anderson had the most touches for their sides in the opening period, with the latter winning five of his seven duels.

If it were an audition, his lines were being delivered well.

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Hosts retake lead after Forest force an equaliser

United should have been two-up inside the first two minutes of the restart.

Shaw played in Cunha down the left and the Brazilian's low cross to the far post had a touch too much on it but was kept in and cut back across by Amad.

The Stretford End waited for Mbeumo to apply a simple finish, but he swung wildly and almost defied gravity as the ball flew high over the bar from eight yards out.

Harry Maguire, who always seems to have the grimace of a man trying to pass a particularly hot curry from the night before, took one down expertly at the far post but bashed his shot wildly.

United paid for the profligacy.

Amad was bullied and rolled by Anderson from a short corner and the Forest man whipped over a delicious ball that Morato bulleted home with his head.

It was a great ball in and Lammens was never getting anywhere near it.

United then went straight back up the other end and scored.

Even in real time, it didn't look like it would be given as the ball stuck under Mbeumo's armpit as he spun and shot, the block spinning out to Cunha who stroked home.

VAR watched it their usual 50 times and adjudged handball. The ref went to the monitor and then overruled VAR as an accidental handball.

It took ages. It felt wrong. If it had been the other way, I'd be fuming. But it was 2-1.

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Magical Fernandes enters history books with 20th assist

Forest came again as Lammens needed to be sharp to deny Gibbs-White and we still had half an hour to play.

Bruno's quest to equal the Premier League assists record should have been met, but it was again Mbeumo's profligacy that halted Portuguese celebrations after he had played a perfect through ball into the box for the Cameroonian but he blazed over.

His skipper dropped to his knees and then lay spreadeagled on the turf, his frustration masked by a big goofy grin.

Selz then saved well from Amad and Fernandes tried Cunha next but his shot was deflected for a corner.

But everything that had gone was forgotten with 15 minutes to go when Fernandes got his record and Mbeumo got his goal.

Cunha started it, playing the ball out wide to his captain who hammered a low ball towards the six-yard box, Amad missed it, but Mbeumo adjusted his feet well enough to direct the ball home.

It was smiles all round and a genuinely impressive achievement for Fernandes, United's standout player of recent years.

But Forest wouldn't lie down and it was more Anderson scheming that reduced the deficit, picking out Gibbs-White's dart across the box before the former Wolves man took an excellent first-time finish literally in his stride.

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United secure third spot and Champions League football

Carrick decided it was time for changes, Mbeumo and Cunha off for Mount, Patrick Dorgu and Zirkzee.

But the cheers were saved for Casemiro who received a standing ovation from the home faithful and a final yellow card for his sins. Thanks for the memories!

Dorgu was immediately into the thick of it, his fierce strike saved by Selz, but Forest were still pushing and were still dangerous in and around the United box.

Zirkzee showed why he's probably going to be jettisoned this summer after failing to latch onto Amad's through ball on another United counter and there were eight added minutes to negotiate.

Mount lashed one narrowly wide and Zirkzee tried to walk his way past the Forest defence but was denied.

Fernandes had a golden opportunity to play in Amad and make that assists record his own but chose to come inside, Dalot taking the ball then hitting the far post.

Next, he tried Zirkzee, the Dutchman denied with his first shot and then again on the rebound to leave his skipper tied with Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne with 20 Premier League set-ups for the season – with the trip to Brighton left to make it his own.

It was the last act of an enthralling second half, with Mbeumo's controversial assist for Cunha no doubt the major talking point but it meant Carrick had secured third spot.  

So, a time to congratulate but also to keep a sense of balance.

United's first 14 or 15 look the part but it will be a squad game next season with at least eight additional Champions League group games to cater for and potentially a few more in the cups.

That wider group is not strong enough, that's glaringly obvious, and whether any of the youngsters are ready to make the step remains to be seen.

So it's a busy summer ahead and presumably there's already a shopping list.

I hope Elliot Anderson is at the top!

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