Several Manchester United players, including Andre Onana and Bruno Fernandes, committed errors that directly led to goals during their recent game. Gary Neville also scrutinized some of Ruben Amorim’s tactical choices, urging the manager to consider adopting a more consistent strategy akin to Enzo Maresca’s approach.
In the clash against Nottingham Forest, Manchester United found themselves trailing within two minutes, as Nikola Milenkovic outmuscled Lisandro Martinez to convert a corner into the opening goal. The Red Devils leveled the score in the 18th minute through Rasmus Hojlund, capitalizing on a superb team move. Despite their momentum, the second half unraveled disastrously for United.
Morgan Gibbs-White restored Forest’s lead after a costly misstep by Fernandes and Onana, with the goalkeeper conceding a goal many felt he should have saved. Chris Wood added Forest’s third, raising questions about Martinez’s failure to clear the ball. While Fernandes managed to pull one back for United, the team couldn’t find an equalizer or a winning goal.
This disappointing performance left Manchester United languishing in 13th place on the Premier League table with just 19 points from 15 games.
Neville expressed concerns over Amorim’s decision to make four changes to the starting lineup compared to their previous game against Arsenal. The alterations included replacing defenders Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt with Harry Maguire and Noussair Mazraoui. Neville argued that such frequent adjustments disrupt team cohesion and signal a lack of trust in the players. Speaking to Metro Sports, he remarked, “When you keep changing players and your defensive setup, it sends a message that you don’t fully trust your squad.”
He suggested that Amorim look to Chelsea’s Enzo Maresca for inspiration, pointing to Maresca’s effective strategy of rotating players between domestic and European competitions while maintaining a balanced squad.
Amorim, on his part, defended Onana despite the costly mistake, acknowledging the goalkeeper’s past heroics and emphasizing the need for the team to remain mentally strong and united during challenging moments.
