Nottingham Forest 0-2 Manchester United: Player ratings as Red Devils cruise to crucial win
Goals from Antony and Diogo Dalot ensured that Manchester United capitalised on Newcastle and Tottenham's slip-ups with a win over Nottingham Forest.
The Red Devils were back to their past at the City Ground on Sunday, earning a 2-0 win that gives them a three point lead in third place in the Premier League table.
Man Utd so nearly took the lead inside the opening minute when Jadon Sancho latched onto a loose ball in the heart of the penalty area after Keylor Navas failed to punch a low cross clear of danger. Sancho's subsequent first-time side-footed effort on goal, although it beat Navas, failed to find its way past Felipe, who rushed back to block the ball.
The majority of the opening half hour was very evenly contested after that, with Forest causing Man Utd problems from set pieces and the visitors causing problems from open play.
It would be the latter that'd lead to the first goal of the game when Anthony Martial stole the ball off of Danilo in the final third. After nabbing the ball and playing a smart one-two with Bruno Fernandes, the French forward would see a low strike from just inside the penalty area saved by Navas, but punched into the path of Antony who was able to slot home the opener with ease at the back post.
Not to be deterred by going behind, the home side pressed forward with intent in search of an equaliser, and came close to getting one in the 43rd minute. Taiwo Awoniyi, however, was unable to keep his first-time strike from the edge of the penalty area on target - seeing it fly over the crossbar.
A few moments later, Forest were almost made to pay for that missed opportunity when Fernandes found himself unmarked from a Christian Eriksen cross. The attacking midfielder rose well but headed his resulting effort just wide of the post.
Fernandes would come even closer to doubling Man Utd's lead at the start of the second half, seeing a ferocious first-time effort from the edge of the box tipped onto the crossbar by Navas.
On the hour mark Fernandes once again called Navas into action, this time forcing the PSG loanee to tip a low strike round his post.
10 minutes later, Martial really should've doubled Man Utd's lead when he rose between two Forest defenders at the back post. The forward was unable to keep his header on target however.
In the 76th minute, Man Utd finally got their second. It would come courtesy of Diogo Dalot, who latched onto a lovely through ball from Antony before expertly side-footing past Navas.
Nottingham Forest player ratings
GK - Keylor Navas - 8/10 - Made a few stunning saves throughout to keep Forest within touching distance of Man Utd.
CB - Felipe - 6/10 - A threat from set pieces.
CB - Scott McKenna - 5/10 - Battled well at times but struggled when the ball was played in behind.
CB - Moussa Niakhate - 4/10 - Struggled with Antony's movement in off the right flank.
RM - Neco Williams - 5/10 - Didn't get forward well enough.
CM - Remo Freuler - 3/10 - Chasing shadows in the midfield.
CM - Danilo - 3/10 - Lost the ball in the lead up to Man Utd's opener.
LM - Renan Lodi - 3/10 - He didn't have much hope against Antony.
AM - Morgan Gibbs-White - 3/10 - Not as creative as Forest needed him to be.
ST - Taiwo Awoniyi - 2/10 - Involved a fair amount, but rarely showed any quality.
ST - Brennan Johnson - 4/10 - He wasn't at the races today.
SUBS
Orel Mangala - 4/10 - Didn't contribute anything other than a yellow card.
Sam Surridge - 3/10 - Ineffective.
Emmanuel Dennis - N/A.
Jesse Lingard - N/A.
Manchester United player ratings
GK - David de Gea - 5/10 - The Spanish goalkeeper had basically nothing to do.
RB - Aaron Wan-Bissaka - 5/10 - Got forward well when he needed to.
CB - Victor Lindelof - 6/10 - Decent on the ball.
CB - Harry Maguire - 5/10 - Immediately booked for a silly challenge. He didn't have much to do after that.
LB - Diogo Dalot - 7/10 - A striker's finish to double Man Utd's lead.
DM - Casemiro - 7/10 - Held the fort as his midfield partners went forward.
DM - Christian Eriksen - 8/10 - Classy performance. Man Utd are not the same team when he's unavailable.
RM - Antony - 8/10 - Right place at the right time to open the scoring, then slid a lovely ball through for the second.
AM - Bruno Fernandes - 9/10 - Linked up beautifully with Eriksen throughout. His best performance in quite a while.
LM - Jadon Sancho - 6/10 - Nearly opened the scoring within a minute. The quietest of Man Utd's attacking players thereafter.
ST - Anthony Martial - 7/10 - His pressing led to the opening goal. Overall play was good, but should have doubled Man Utd's lead in the second half.
SUBS
Wout Weghorst - N/A.
Fred - N/A.