Even though Manchester United have rarely been as depleted, a couple of injuries may have proved a boon to them. When Tyrell Malacia had a sore leg, Diogo Dalot was press-ganged into service as a left-back. When Marcel Sabitzer, the star turn against Sevilla on Thursday, was hurt in the warm-up, Christian Eriksen was a late addition to the line-up. And as United recorded a first away league win in two months to go third, 2-0 the final score, their second goal came from Dalot and their excellence stemmed from Eriksen.
His influence can be indirect – Antony got the first goal and Bruno Fernandes was the game’s outstanding player – but that can be the case with playmakers.
Eriksen brought craft and cleverness to a game that had a chaotic element. His first start since he was hurt by Andy Carroll in January came as a stand-in who strengthened the side. As Erik ten Hag was without 10 injured players, as he fielded his second-string centre-back partnership and a right-back as his third-choice left-back, as his bench looked worryingly weak, his preferred midfield were reunited.
Had Sabitzer started, Fernandes would have been in a more withdrawn role. With Eriksen as Casemiro’s sidekick, the Portuguese shifted further forward, operated as a No 10 and was the instigator of the opening goal. Eriksen was denied a comeback strike of his own by Keylor Navas, with a smart stop.
More often than not, however, he was laying the platform for a liberated Fernandes. Ten Hag had improvised by getting the Portuguese to provide the creativity from deep in Eriksen’s absence but he could go from being playmaker to trequartista, or three-quarters. He doubled up as creative fulcrum and inspiration.
It helps that they are on the same wavelength. When Eriksen whipped in a cross on the stroke of half-time, Fernandes headed wide. When Eriksen teed-up Fernandes, with a ferocious hit from an acute angle, the Portuguese thudded a shot against the bar. It formed part of his assault on the Forest goal: Navas clawed away a low shot and a free kick flew wide. It was one of those days when Fernandes felt irresistible, even if the goals and assists went to others.
But he provided the defence-splitting ball for Anthony Martial to draw a save from Navas when Antony was quickest to react and tap in to break the deadlock.
It was a goal to support Ten Hag’s assertion that United play better with Martial: his ability to make runs in the channels was something United lacked when Wout Weghorst led the line with rather less acceleration. The Frenchman made a second successive start and almost scored with his last touch, heading a Casemiro cross wide.
Antony’s first goal in 17 league games represents a slender return for an £86m fee but the Brazilian has at least shown an ability score important goals. After he twice almost doubled his tally, he belatedly registered a first Premier League assist. He cut in on to his preferred left foot, which was entirely predictable: the unexpected element was the incisive pass as he spotted Dalot’s run from deep. And then it helped to have a right-footed left-back as the Portugal international scored a first top-flight goal in England. By that stage, United were rampant.
A game that began with Jadon Sancho being denied by a goal-line clearance by Felipe in the first minute nevertheless had a fraught start for United.
Both their eventual return of 22 shots and Forest’s return of none on target may suggest this was more comfortable then it felt in the first half. Harry Maguire was booked in the third minute and could have conceded a penalty in the 19th. Then, with Forest a threat from set-pieces, Scott McKenna headed Morgan Gibbs-White’s corner against the far post.
The City Ground was raucous, perhaps sensing the chance of revenge, 24 years later: United’s previous league visit had ended 8-1, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scoring four.
This finished with United securing a different kind of quartet as they recorded a fourth win over Forest in the campaign. A statistical quirk, because they met in the Carabao Cup semi-finals, could have consequences. Forest now only have three points from their last 10 matches. This was just a second league defeat at the City Ground since September but a side with a terrible away record are now winless in five in Nottingham as well.
“Going down”, came the predictable taunts from the visiting fans and these seem clubs on different trajectories. The Champions League beckons for United, the Championship for Forest.
