By Olaitan Ibrahim
Nottingham Forest secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Manchester United at the City Ground, thanks to an early strike from Anthony Elanga and a resolute defensive display that saw them hold onto the lead until the final whistle.
The match began with high energy, and Nottingham made their mark early. Just five minutes in, Elanga finished a swift counter-attack by weaving through United’s defence and scoring a superb close-range goal to give Forest a 1-0 lead.
United responded by dominating possession and creating multiple chances.
Diogo Dalot almost equalised in the 28th minute when his header from a corner rattled the crossbar.
Despite the pressure from United, Nottingham’s goalkeeper Matz Sels made several crucial saves, including a key stop from Casemiro’s header early in the second half.
United’s search for an equaliser intensified in the final minutes, with Harry Maguire coming close in the 90+7 minute, but his low shot was blocked by a defender.
Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes also had chances, but their efforts narrowly missed the target, and Forest held firm.
Despite their best efforts, Manchester United could not break through Nottingham’s defence, with the hosts securing all three points and a vital 1-0 victory at home.