Manchester United’s season roared into life following their 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday, during which they came back from being 0-2 down inside 4 minutes. After 2 uninspiring outings against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur in their first 2 matches of the new campaign, Erik ten Hag’s men finally showed the mettle of a top-four side against Steve Cooper’s Forest. With title contenders Arsenal next up for the Red Devils, let’s look at some of the intriguing takeaways from United’s victory on Saturday.
IS IT TIME FOR ALVARO FERNANDEZ AT LEFT-BACK?
Marc Cucurella is the name on many a United follower’s lips as the Red Devils try to plug the gap that has opened up at left-back following the injuries to Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia. Equally concerning has been the form of Diogo Dalot.
Normally a reliable performer, Dalot was disappointing against Spurs, when he came on as a substitute for Aaron Wan-Bissaka at right-back, and fared even worse against Forest. The Portuguese failed to contain Forest’s right-winger Brennan Johnson throughout the match and was also guilty of spurning a golden opportunity to put United 3-2 up in the second half.
Stationed unmarked inside the box to the left of the Forest goal when Bruno Fernandes took a United freekick, Dalot failed to respond in time to a clever manoeuvre that saw Fernandes slip the ball to Dalot instead of trying to beat the Forest wall in front of their goal. Dalot’s inaction drew a grimace from Fernandes, who later took matters into his own hands to put United ahead by converting the penalty kick awarded to the Red Devils later in the game.
If United have not signed an experienced replacement left-back by next week, when the Red Devils visit Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, ten Hag could do worse than field Alvaro Fernandez in Dalot’s place. The 20-year-old left-back spent last season on loan at Championship club Preston North End, playing 42 matches and registering 6 assists. The former Real Madrid academy graduate was also named the club’s Young Player of the Year.
Fernandez is already 6 ft 1 in and has a robust physique for his age. His dribbling ability and natural strength helped him hold his own in one-one situations last season at Preston North End, and he loves to get forward up the pitch to help the team in the final third. The Spaniard is also strong in the air.
“He’s definitely coming on, he’s definitely getting better each game, each training session, he’s learning,” Preston manager Ryan Lowe said in March 2023.
“He’s keeping a top international out of the team at the moment in (Republic of Ireland’s) Robbie Brady and he’s got to keep his standards high. His performances have been excellent and long may that continue.”
Fernandez is already 6 ft 1 in and has a robust physique for his age. His dribbling ability and natural strength helped him hold his own in one-one situations last season, and he loves to get forward up the pitch to help the team in the final third. The Spaniard is also strong in the air.
Ten Hag was asked ahead of United’s match against Forest about the possibility of Fernandez and young attacking midfielder Dan Gore seeing action that day.
“We have seen in pre-season they can be in the team. Both very talented players, and they have to play to their potential and get everything out, go to the maximum,” said ten Hag. “They have to be ready to come into the team.”
One suspects that in the absence of a reliable stand-in at left-back, ten Hag will find out of Fernandez is up to the task if he fields him in United’s first team.
SHOULD ERIKSEN START OVER MOUNT?
Mason Mount’s 2 starts so far following his big-money move from Chelsea this summer have sparked questions over whether the 24-year-old is the right profile for a midfield that needs more invention and creativity. The Chelsea academy graduate has always been a hard worker on the field, be it with pressing or tracking back, but he’s yet to display the offensive qualities necessary to spur United into breaking down sides that are hard to penetrate.
Christian Eriksen started on Saturday against Forest in place of Mount after the England midfielder was ruled out with a hamstring injury, and showed his experience in helping unpick a Forest defence that was positionally aware and looked determined to keep United out of the penalty box.
Eriksen’s goal on Saturday, which brought United back into the game, was in large part down to his superb anticipation and wonderful technique. Seeing Marcus Rashford up against Serge Aurier and poised to break into the box from the left, Eriksen rushed forward across the face of the goal towards Rashford. When the Englishman’s pass reached his feet, the Dane nonchalantly sidefooted it into the net.
“I was expecting Marcus (Rashford) to go around his man, which often happens, and then really just try to be in the area where the ball might end up and, luckily, I had a striker’s nose to be at the right place,” Eriksen told Manchester United’s official channel, MUTV, later.
The Dane would have also helped United get their equaliser at least a few minutes before they eventually did, if only Anthony Martial had not been too sluggish to get to a through ball into the Forest penalty box that Eriksen unleashed early in the second half.
With Mount ruled out for the next match as well (against Arsenal) before the mini-break for international matches from next week, Eriksen has the chance to stake his claim to a starting place in the United first 11.
CAPTAIN FERNANDES REPORTS FOR DUTY
Bruno Fernandes is often criticised for his histrionics on the pitch, and there are times when the 28-year-old resembles an overgrown infant who hasn’t been weaned off his mother’s milk. Inside such an emotional footballer though, is a streetfighter who’s at his most dangerous when backed into a corner.
After seeing United go 0-2 down inside four minutes at Old Trafford against Forest, Fernandes ensured he did everything in his power to drag the Red Devils back into the game. After sensing the vulnerability of Forest goalkeeper Matt Turner to long-range shots – the American parried an early effort from Fernandes instead of catching it early in the game – the Portuguese kept testing Turner from time to time.
Fernandes kept unfurling shots at the Forest goal from outside the penalty box, keeping Turner on his toes. It finally paid off in the 17th minute, when yet another long-range shot saw Turner parry the United captain’s attempt into the path of Anthony Martial near the 6-yard box. Martial in turn passed to Marcus Rashford, who broke into the box, dribbled past Serge Aurier and provided the pass to Christian Eriksen that resulted in United’s first goal of the night.
Fernandes had a hand in United’s other 2 goals on the night as well. For United’s equaliser, the former Sporting man cleverly rolled the ball across the penalty box to Rashford during a freekick instead of trying to beat the Forest wall. Fernandes went on to head Rashford’s return pass into the path of Casemiro in the middle, following which the Brazilian scored United’s equaliser.
Fernandes also converted the penalty awarded to United to help his team take a 3-2 lead. “In all the aspects, he played a very good game at the highest level,” said ten Hag after the game, praising Fernandes.
“He was keeping calm, with the emotions under control. He was brilliant in the attacking (play) and made the difference. I am very happy with his performance.”
Saturday was a much-needed return to form for Fernandes, who had had an underwhelming start to the season. While he instrumental in creating United’s winner during their 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers but otherwise anonymous for the rest of the match, he was poor in the 0-2 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur. Fernandes also missed a glorious chance to score against Spurs when he managed to head a sublime cross from Luke Shaw well over the bar. “I looked too much at the goalkeeper instead of (focussing) on the ball and obviously, after the movement of the moment, I was too quick and I didn’t get the ball the way I should get,” a contrite Fernandes later told MUTV about his miss. “But either way, I have to get that ball at least on the target.”
On Saturday, he did.
RASHFORD THRIVES ON THE LEFT, BUT IS UNLIKELY TO STAY THERE
After struggling to impact the game following his deployment as a number 9 in United’s first 2 matches, Rashford thrived after being restored to his favourite position on the left against Forest. The Englishman made the assist for United’s first goal, had a hand in the Red Devils’ second goal and won the penalty that led to their third.
Forest’s defenders found the 25-year-old difficult to defend against, as Rashford’s superior ability in one-on-one situations helped the 20-time champions get into promising positions time and again.
Rashford enjoyed his best-ever season for United last year, during which he scored 30 goals and made 11 assists from 56 matches. Rashford played 31 of these matches on the left wing, 19 of them at centre-forward and 4 matches on the right wing.
Ten Hag himself has previously conceded that the number 9 may not be Rashford’s best position. “He can play there (on the right wing), as he can stretch across all the three positions, and he can score goals in each (of them),” said the United boss in November 2022, following a 1-3 loss to Aston Villa during which Rashford played on the right of a 3-man attack behind sole striker Cristiano Ronaldo.
“(But) the best position for Rashford is the number nine or coming in from the left.”
With Rasmus Hojlund still not completely match fit and Anthony Martial’s propensity to pick up injuries, it is safe to assume that we will continue to see Rashford deployed through the middle many more times this season.
Rashford himself has stated his desire in the past to play on the left. “I think it depends on the opposition and the personality that you’re playing against,” Rashford told Amazon Prime Video. “More often than not, I prefer to play on the left.
“But if there is a weakness in the middle or there is a certain style of player that I feel I can exploit, then I like to have the freedom to try and move and try and do that. I like to see what I can sense on the pitch.”
Assuming Martial does not pick up a knock before United’s match against Arsenal at the Emirates next week, Rashford is likely to start the encounter on the left. On the evidence of this week, the Gunners have been warned.