A 2-1 scoreline would have flattered Forest. But they were inches away from getting it. Boly’s inadvertent part in the goal changed nothing – the header was going in anyway – but the law’s the law. The ball didn’t come off Yeats’ arm. But Boly was a yard offside as the header went in. The ball brushed Boly en route to the goal. United get away with one there. It wasn’t great defending.
Lodi floats it towards the far stick. Yeats rises highest, six yards out, and heads downwards. The ball rears back up off the turf and into the top right. Forest back in it! Antony has been quiet, compared to Rashford and Martial anyway, but now he pops up to the right of the D and aims a curler towards the top left. It’s always going over, but not by miles. United are playing some very easy-on-the-eye stuff this evening.
Wan-Bissaka comes piling into the back of Lingard and is slightly fortunate not to go into the book. It’s probably nothing more than a foul, but you’ve seen fussy referees dish them out for less. Forest pump the free kick into the box, and Awoniyi battles for the ball, but Malacia isn’t to be beaten and sweeps up.
Fernandes, deep on the right, attempts to release Malacia near the left-hand corner of the Forest box. The pass is overcooked and it flies out for a goal kick, but it’s an illustration of United’s confidence and ambition if nothing else.
So having said that, Forest steam up the other end, Yeats pearling a shot towards the bottom right from distance. De Gea turns it around the post in a very strange manner, using his right shoulder and twisting. But it gets the job done, and nothing happens at the resulting corner.
Fred Goal #MUNNFO pic.twitter.com/09zYkBV9Xp
— Joshua Kalan (@Joshua96055574) December 27, 2022