Manchester United suffered their first loss under Ruben Amorim midweek against Arsenal, where despite being fairly defensively sound for most of the game, they were undone by the set piece threat of Arsenal, which resulted in 2 of their corners being converted and United with much to think on. With some questions over United’s defensive approach and limited attacking output, along with the 6 changes made to the XI, Amorim was both praised and questioned in equal measure for this approach but the Saturday evening game against Nottingham Forest offered up a chance to get his side back on track and look for a convincing victory against a tricky opponent at Old Trafford.

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Teams

Ruben Amorim opted for arguably his strongest line-up of current players, as the more energetic midfield options of Mainoo-Ugarte were chosen, while Amad played his wing-back role, and Garnacho and Fernandes filled in the no.10 roles with Hojlund leading the line. There were changes throughout as United looked to get back into the game, with several attacking changes including a cameo for Mount and Rashford being called upon midway through the second half.

The most notable choice arguably came from Yoro’s first start. After his huge potential was discussed in the summer, fans have had to wait to see the young defender get a start as his injury problems delayed his arrival into the first team, but given the huge potential on offer, United and Amorim will be keen to settle the youngster in more regularly into the new year.

For Nottingham Forest, their strong start to the season was largely down to their key players who started this clash, notably with towering forward Wood. There was a change in the final 10 minutes as former United man Elanga returned to add to United’s misery in the closing stages, and leaves fans wondering if Amorim would have maybe found a place for the Swedish attacker.

Manchester United: Onana, Martinez, De Ligt (Maguire 65′), Yoro (Mazraoui 66′), Dalot, Mainoo, Ugarte (Mount 76′), Amad, Garnacho (Rashford 59′), Fernandes (Zirkzee 76′), Hojlund

Subs: Bayindir, Malacia, Casemiro, Eriksen

Nottingham Forest: Sels, Williams, Murillo, Milenkovic, Aina, Anderson, Yates, Hudson-Odoi (Awoniyi 90′), Gibbs-White (Dominguez 79′), Silva (Morata 68′), Wood (Elanga 79′)

Subs: Miguel, Toffolo, Boly, Ward-Prowse, Sosa

Manchester United 2-3 Nottingham Forest

From kick-off, Forest exploited United’s known vulnerability from corners and within two minutes, Nikola Milenković rose unmarked to head home, his first goal for the club, United’s defence caught flat-footed once more. United struggled to shake off that early setback, but they restored parity in the 18th minute when Rasmus Højlund, alert to a rebound after Alejandro Garnacho’s shot was pushed away, slotted home to ignite hope among the home crowd.

Just two minutes into the second half, Bruno Fernandes lost possession near midfield and Morgan Gibbs‑White seized the opportunity and struck a composed, low shot that took Onana by surprise and restored Forest’s lead. A mere seven minutes later, Chris Wood punished United’s sluggish defensive reactions with a looping header, his 25th Premier League goal for Forest, a tally that made him their top-flight leading scorer.

United responded through Bruno Fernandes, who rifled a crisp strike from the edge of the area in the 61st minute, igniting belief of a comeback. Despite dominating possession thereafter, Ruben Amorim’s side could not break Forest’s organised back‑line, and the visitors held on to claim a notable 3–2 win, their first at Old Trafford since December 1994. The result elevates Forest to fifth in the table on 25 points and leaves United languishing in 13th with 19.

Talking Points

Manchester United’s 3–2 defeat to Nottingham Forest marked a second consecutive loss under new manager Ruben Amorim, deepening early concerns over his ability to steady a faltering side. Coming off the back of a disjointed performance against Arsenal, United were once again plagued by defensive disorganisation and lapses in concentration, particularly from set pieces. While Rasmus Højlund and Bruno Fernandes both found the net, United looked fragile without the ball and failed to sustain meaningful pressure in the final third. Amorim, only weeks into his tenure, cut a frustrated figure on the touchline as his side’s inability to respond tactically in key moments was once again exposed.

The result also carried historical weight, as it marked Nottingham Forest’s first win at Old Trafford since 1994, a 31-year wait broken in emphatic fashion. Forest’s clinical edge and composure under pressure belied their underdog status, with goals from Milenković, Gibbs-White, and Wood punishing a sluggish United. For a fixture long dominated by the Red Devils, this result felt symbolic, a once-dominant home fortress now vulnerable, and Forest, revitalised under Nuno Espírito Santo, capitalising with purpose. The win lifts Forest into the European conversation, while United are left to confront uncomfortable questions about their direction under Amorim heading into the busy winter schedule.

Finally if there was to be any positive for United fans to take from this, it would be that 19 year old Leny Yoro managed his first start for United in proper competition since his arrival in the summer. The delay to seeing him feature through injury was ended on Wednesday against Arsenal, but we saw arguably the strongest back 3 of Martinez-De Ligt-Yoro lining up for the first time. Although he only managed 66 minutes, there were some positive signs and the substitutes also showed a level of depth in United’s defence that has been lacking for the last year or two.