Roland Cutinho
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag praises his team’s brilliant character after a ‘horror start’ against Nottingham Forest
Manager Erik ten Hag praised his player’s brilliant reaction to a challenging situation, as Manchester United made a remarkable comeback from a two-goal deficit to defeat 10-man Nottingham Forest.
After narrowly winning their Premier League (PL) opener against Wolves and experiencing a huge set-up against Tottenham, United faced a disastrous beginning at Old Trafford.
Within just 86 seconds after kick-off, Taiwo Awoniyi scored a quick goal on the counter-attack, and Willy Boly added another in the fourth minute.
However, United showed resilience and reduced the deficit with a goal from Christian Eriksen.
They continued their comeback as Casemiro equalised in the second half, and the match was ultimately decided when Bruno Fernandes converted a penalty shortly after Forest’s Joe Worrall was sent off.
Ten Hag was not happy with his team’s early mistakes, which led to a nightmare start. However, he praised his team for their composure and ability to reverse the course of the game.
While speaking to MUTV (as quoted by talkSport), the gaffer said:
“Horror start, but the character of the team was brilliant. We stayed so calm and so composed. We stuck to our belief, stuck to our plan, played some good football and scored three good goals. It was a great comeback.”
“With all respect to Forest, we can’t allow them [those goals]. They were easy giveaways. It’s crazy, but sometimes games go like this.”
The fans were stunned to see their side let in two goals within five minutes, but their ability to secure yet another comeback win will ease a lot of burden off their shoulders.
Man United have secured two victories out of their three League matches this season, and this win was especially important following their shock loss to Tottenham the previous weekend.
Currently, Ten Hag‘s side is only one point behind the top spot in the current league standings.
However, it’s worth noting that their local rivals, Manchester City, have won both of their matches and have the opportunity to reach nine points if they win against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Sunday.
Out of all the players that stepped up against Forest, Fernandes impressed the most with his all-round abilities and creative thinking at crucial times of the game.
The Portuguese star has been consistently performing well this season, despite United’s struggles. However, he elevated his performance to a whole new level on Saturday.
Fernandes not only scored but also provided an assist, carrying a United team that had been struggling to find its bite. This victory comes at a crucial point, considering the prevailing negative atmosphere surrounding the club.
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