Manchester United’s three-game winning run ended on Saturday after they drew 2-2 with Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. It was Sean Dyche’s first home league game as Forest’s new manager, and his team made it count.
Going into the weekend, most United fans were confident about getting the win.
Three wins in a row had everyone believing we could make it four. Forest were down in the relegation zone and looked like easy pickings on paper. But some fans weren’t so sure.
The new manager bounce is real, and United’s away form this season has been terrible. Turns out those doubts were justified.
United started well. Casemiro scored from a Bruno Fernandes corner to put them ahead. But Forest came out flying in the second half.
Morgan Gibbs-White and Nicolo Savona both scored within five minutes of the restart to turn the game around.
United looked lost until Amad Diallo pulled off an incredible volley late on to save a point.
The Away Form Problem
This draw just adds to United’s away day struggles this season. The draw now means United have played Five away matches in all competitions this season winning just once, drawing twice, and losing three, that’s nowhere near good enough for a team trying to get back into Europe.
Away from Old Trafford, United just don’t show up with the same energy and fight. They look static, confused and lacking in ideas. Against teams they should be beating comfortably, the players seem to go missing. If United want to finish in the top four, they can’t keep dropping points like this against average teams.
Amorim’s Wing-Back Problem
After the match, Ruben Amorim talked about the good and the bad. He was happy that the team fought back after going behind, unlike last season, United would usually just collapse in those situations. But he couldn’t ignore the defensive mistakes that cost them.
Diogo Dalot’s performance was a major concern. Amorim said after the game that Dalot had chances to put crosses in but kept being on his weaker foot, which is why Patrick Dorgu came on.
Dalot was caught ball-watching for Forest’s second goal, and it’s becoming a pattern with him.
The problem is bigger than just one bad game though. In Amorim’s 3-4-3 system, the wing-backs need to help out in attack with good crosses and runs forward. Dalot doesn’t offer much going forward when he’s stuck on his left foot, which means Matheus Cunha has to do everything on that side.
Dorgu has looked decent but he’s still young and inconsistent. So the question is should Tyrell Malacia get a chance? Amorim needs to sort this out quickly because it’s affecting how the whole team plays.
What’s Next?
The draw isn’t a disaster, but it’s not what United needed either. United must now regroup and prepare for their final match before the November international break a must-win clash at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium against a Spurs side that beat them four times last season, including in the Europa League final.
A victory would boost United’s confidence and keep them firmly in the top-four race, But Amorim knows there’s still plenty of work to do. He needs to sort out the left wing-back problem and make sure the team performs better in away games.
