Man Utd player ratings: Yoro best in a poor defeat to Forest where they were woefully blunt

Manchester United endured a frustrating start to April, suffering a defeat to Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

The result completed Forest’s first domestic double over United since the 1991-92 season, adding to the struggles of Ruben Amorim’s side.

The decisive moment arrived just five minutes in, as former United academy graduate Anthony Elanga capitalized on a cleared corner.

Bursting forward from near midfield, he raced past defenders and slotted the ball beyond Andre Onana, leaving the goalkeeper with no chance. Despite United’s attempts to respond, Forest’s disciplined defense, which boasts the most clean sheets in the league, proved too resilient.

Amorim attempted to shake things up at halftime, bringing on Rasmus Hojlund for Manuel Ugarte to add attacking impetus. Later substitutions, including Christian Eriksen and Mason Mount, provided some spark but ultimately failed to break down Forest’s backline. Here’s how the United players performed:

Helpless against Elanga’s finish but tried to quicken play and made a smart save from an offside effort. 6

United’s most composed defender, impressing with his distribution and a crucial late challenge to deny Elanga. 7

Slow to react for the goal but otherwise handled Taiwo Awoniyi well. 6

Caught flat-footed as Elanga broke away, an uncharacteristically poor outing. 5

Nearly equalized with a looping header that struck the bar but lacked precision in attack. 6

Provided physicality in midfield but was withdrawn at halftime. 5

Struggled to contain Elanga’s runs, booked after frustration got the better of him, and subbed early. 5

Overwhelmed defensively and offered little in attack. 5

Created some danger, forcing a nervy save and testing the keeper with a header, but lacked composure at key moments. 6

Isolated in attack, showed signs of frustration, and picked up a needless booking. 4

A surprising choice as the starting striker, he drifted deeper in the second half but made little impact before being replaced. 5

Injected energy into the attack and won an early corner. 6

Came on after Casemiro’s yellow card but was also booked. 5

Nearly found the net with a well-struck effort that curled just wide. 6

Had a golden chance to equalize late but squandered his header. 6

Misjudged his lineup by deploying Zirkzee as a lone striker while pushing Fernandes deeper. His halftime changes were necessary but came too late, as Forest had already gained control. 5