Nottingham Forest fought hard to secure their third consecutive Premier League victory on Tuesday night, edging out Manchester United 1-0 at the City Ground.
The home fans, buoyed by their FA Cup quarter-final win at Brighton just days earlier, were in high spirits from the start. Their excitement grew when former Manchester United player Anthony Elanga gave Forest an early lead. The Swedish international broke away from a United corner with blistering pace, fending off several challenges before calmly finishing past Andre Onana.
United responded with determination, but the first half lacked rhythm, which played into Forest’s hands. The visitors’ chances were limited, with Diogo Dalot’s header hitting the crossbar being their best opportunity. Aside from that, Ruben Amorim’s side had little to show for their efforts.
Forest were quiet offensively after Elanga’s goal but created a couple of promising chances early in the second half. Ryan Yates saw his header saved by Onana, while Morgan Gibbs-White failed to capitalize on a left-footed shot inside the box.
Despite their brief flurry, United regained control and dominated possession for much of the second half. However, whenever space opened up for a shot, Forest’s resilient defense was there to block the efforts. Harry Maguire’s late push as a centre-forward caused problems, but a crucial goal-line clearance from Murillo in the dying moments ensured Forest held on for all three points.
