That’s all from me. Thanks for reading and for your emails. Congratulations to VAR Manchester United! Enjoy the rest of Sunday’s football!
A word for Morgan Gibbs-White’s goal, which made it 3-2. Look it up if you can, it’s a truly outrageous improvised finish. Anderson really rattled his pass/cross into Gibbs-White’s feet on the penalty spot, and the latter adjusted his feet brilliantly, almost glancing his shot off his left foot into the corner. Gibbs-White meant every inch of that and Lammens was completely flat-footed.
That is 14 Premier League goals for the season for Gibbs-White, no Englishman has more. And I think I’m right in saying that only one of those goals has been a penalty.
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Will Unwin's match report from Old Trafford
Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes speaks to Sky Sports:
Everyone knew that [the assist record] was important. They were trying everything they could to score from my passes. I’m very happy, but more than that, I’m happy for the win.
I want collective awards more than anything. But I’m grateful that people think I should be player of the season. I got to 20 today. Let’s see if I do in the final game. But I am happy no matter what.
Less than 30 minutes until four Premier League games kick-off at 3pm BST. You can follow them live with our clockwatch.
Here’s what that result does to the Premier League table.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 36 | 42 | 79 |
| 2 | Man City | 36 | 43 | 77 |
| 3 | Man Utd | 37 | 16 | 68 |
| 4 | Aston Villa | 37 | 6 | 62 |
| 5 | Liverpool | 37 | 10 | 59 |
| 6 | AFC Bournemouth | 36 | 4 | 55 |
| 7 | Brighton | 36 | 10 | 53 |
| 8 | Brentford | 36 | 3 | 51 |
| 9 | Chelsea | 36 | 6 | 49 |
| 10 | Everton | 36 | 0 | 49 |
| 11 | Fulham | 36 | -6 | 48 |
| 12 | Sunderland | 36 | -9 | 48 |
| 13 | Newcastle | 36 | -2 | 46 |
| 14 | Leeds | 36 | -5 | 44 |
| 15 | Crystal Palace | 36 | -9 | 44 |
| 16 | Nottm Forest | 37 | -3 | 43 |
| 17 | Tottenham Hotspur | 36 | -9 | 38 |
| 18 | West Ham | 36 | -20 | 36 |
| 19 | Burnley | 36 | -36 | 21 |
| 20 | Wolverhampton | 36 | -41 | 18 |
Full-time: Manchester United 3-2 Nottingham Forest
That’s it! Manchester United seal third place and Bruno Fernandes equals the all-time Premier League assist record. But the game will also be remembered for that ridiculous Cunha goal.
90+8 min: Zirkzee twice denied. The ball was pulled back to him on the penalty spot. His first shot was blocked, his second diverted over by a brilliant save from Sels. Zirkzee can’t buy a goal.
Dalot hits the post!
90+7 min: Fernandes once again drives through the middle. Rather than pass or shoot, he rather stumbles over the ball, which runs into the path of Dalot … who rounds Williams … shoots across Sels … but hits the far post with his shot! Fernandes would have got another assist, there!
90+5 min: I suspect this won’t just be the final game at Old Trafford for Casemiro. Zirkzee will surely be off this summer. The Dutchman has again been ponderous here.
90+4 min: Anderson next to go into the book for a late challenge on Dorgu.
90+3 min: Forest next to carve out an opening, as Awoniyi receives the ball with his back to goal, firing wide. Luke Shaw was booked for fouling Bakwa in the build-up.
90+1 min: With Milenkovic among the Forest defenders further up the pitch, Fernandes canters forward on another United counter. The Portuguese dribbles into the Forest area, and really should shoot, but instead tries to set up Diallo as he chases that record. It’s a poor pass, though, and Diallo can’t reach it. Sighs all around Old Trafford.
90 min: Eight minutes added on. Eight! There’s another goal in this game. I can feel it.
89 min: Forest push forward but they are instantly exposed on a Manchester United counter-attack, with Diallo streaming forward on the right wing. With only Milenkovic between himself and the Forest goal, Diallo chooses instead to square the ball towards Zirkzee … but the Dutchman doesn’t have the pace to reach the slightly undercooked pass, with Sangare making a fine covering challenge.
87 min: “United fan here,” writes Joshua Keeling. “I’m staggered that goal was given. He controlled it with his arm.”
Yep, that is a very good synopsis of what happened. Mbeumo’s touch directly led to Cunha’s goal.
85 min: This game is really opening up, with both teams going for it. I would not be surprised if Bruno Fernandes does indeed break the assist record. Or if Forest score to make it 3-3.
83 min: Fernandes so nearly becomes the outright record assist holder. A frankly disgusting diagonal ball from the right wing finds Dorgu. The Dane takes a great first touch but fires straight at Sels. A good save in fairness!
81 min: A triple change for United. Mbeumo is replaced by Zirkzee, Dorgu on for Cunha and Mount will come on for Casemiro, who gets a standing ovation as he departs the Old Trafford pitch for the final time as a Manchester United player. There is a wry smile from the Brazilian, who looks moved by the reaction from the stadium.
Updated
GOAL! Manchester United 3-2 Nottingham Forest (Gibbs-White 79)
Out of nothing, Forest are back in it! Anderson with his second assist of the game, zinging a square pass to Gibbs-White, who diverts the ball past Lammes with an expertly-taken first-time finish. Great goal, and the 1,000th of this Premier League season.
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77 min: Every single United teammate was sure to congragulate Fernandes, there, more so than Mbeumo. “Bruno, Bruno, Bruno” serendade the home crowd.
GOAL! Manchester United 3-1 Nottingham Forest (Mbeumo 76)
Fernandes flashes a brilliant cross across the Forest box … Mbeumo sticks out a leg, and the ball cannons into the far corner. Mbeumo gets his goal, but Fernandes has his 20th assist of the season! He ties the all-time Premier League assist record, which stands at 20 and is jointly held by Thierry Henry (2002-03) and Kevin De Bruyne (2019-20).
Updated
74 min: Interesting that Carrick has kept Mbeumo on the pitch. A penny for the thoughts of Zirkzee.
72 min: “VAR needs to go, I think we can all agree with that,” emails Phil Withall.
Yep, get rid. Football is meant to be fun, first and foremost. VAR has sucked the joy out of football, and there is no amount of nitpicking that can make up for that. Football survived just fine before VAR. Yes, there was controversy and wrong decisions but there is controversy and wrong decisions now.
70 min: Forest make some much-needed changes. They have not got hold of the ball since Cunha’s controversial goal. Chris Wood, Omari Hutchinson and Nicolas Domínguez come off, Taiwo Awoniyi, Dilane Bakwa and Ibrahim Sangare come on.
68 min: United are banging on the door for a third. Diallo is denied by Sels, and then Fernandes squares for Cunha, who sees his shot blocked.
66 min: “Not sure which is the biggest current farce, corners or handball interpretations,” emails Adam Hirst. “Hearts must be even more depressed seeing that not given as a foul.”
64 min: Mbeumo again goes through on goal, but again spoons a finish over the bar! Oooooo, that is possibly the easiest chance he has had all day, and both he and Bruno Fernandes slump to the ground in disappointment. It was Fernandes that played Mbeumo through there – had he scored, the Portuguese would have gone level with the all-time Premier League assist record, which stands at 20 and is jointly held by Thierry Henry (2002-03) and Kevin De Bruyne (2019-20).
Updated
62 min: Gibbs-White somehow skips through two United challenges but Lammens rushes out of his goal and bravely falls at the feet of the Forest man, smothering the ball. Great goalkeeping once again.
60 min: It’s a good job that this game doesn’t really matter in the battle for Europe/survival. VAR is a mess. It’s time to get rid of the whole thing.
58 min: I am genuinely dumbstruck that that has been given! The VAR looked at that incident for three minutes, told referee Michael Salisbury to go and check the screen, presumably suggesting that he had made a mistake on the field. Salisbury spent a further minute looking at it, before confirming his on-pitch decision! The thing is, it’s just a blatant handball from Mbeumo! If that is anywhere else on the pitch, it’s a free-kick to Forest. I think the argument is that the ball took a little deflection off Mbeumo’s thigh, onto his arm. And because he is not the actual goalscorer – Cunha was – the goal can be given.
GOAL! Manchester United 2-1 Nottingham Forest (Cunha 56)
Mbeumo collects the ball, swivels and shoots, but a brilliant block from Williams denies the United forward. Cunha pounces on the loose ball, sidefooting the ball into the net but replays show that Mbeumo controlled the ball with his arm. It’s a fairly obvious handball and VAR will surely chalk off this goal?! No! The goal stands! Remarkable!
Updated
GOAL! Manchester United 1-1 Nottingham Forest (Morato 54)
Morato scores his first goal for Forest in his 56th appearance for the club! Forest take a short corner, Anderson creates some room and whips a gorgeous cross to the back post, where Morato nods in!
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52 min: I do wish Hutchinson would be more direct. He has such obvious ability, and has impressed this season, but does also choose the easy option too often, square and back when he should travel forward with the ball.
50 min: Corner to Manchester United. Fernandes gets a rapturous reception as he trots enough to take it. Only Aston Villa have scored more set-piece goals than United’s 21 strikes this season. Fernandes’ delivery is cleared.
Over from Mbeumo!
47 min: Another golden chance for Mbeumo! Cunha fizzes a fine low cross across Forest’s goalmouth, just too far ahead of Mbeumo. But Diallo rescues the ball from the opposite byline, cuts the ball back to Mbeumo, unmarked six yards out … but the Cameroonian international spoons his shot over the bar. That was an awful connection, shinning a bouncing ball into the stands!
Peeeeeeeeeep!
The second half begins. No changes from either side.
Watching the replays of that Gibbs-White chance from the first half, two things to note:
1) The Forest man was probably offside, so it wouldn’t have counted.
2) It really was an excellent save from Lammens. He collapsed like a house of cards onto the ball.
On the ball – guess the footballer
The Guardian has kicked off a new chapter in puzzles with the launch of its first daily football game, On the ball. It is now live in the app for both iOS and Android … so what are you waiting for?
Half-time reading:
Half-time: Manchester United 1-0 Nottingham Forest
Luke Shaw’s goal is the difference.
45 min: One minute added.
44 min: After a well-timed run, Wood threatens to break free on goal, but a heavy touch allows Martinez to step in and make a tackle.
42 min: After Fernandes botches a short-corner routine, Dalot hooks in a cross to the back post where Diallo – 5ft8in of him – nods over.
40 min: “Of the players on the field, I wouldn’t be surprised if Amad Diallo will have the best World Cup,” emails Kári Tulinius. “Ivory Coast don’t have a terribly difficult group, and they have the squad to go deep into the knockouts. Amad was the Elephants’ finest attacker at the latest Afcon, so he should have plenty of opportunities to shine. Also, it’s odd to say this about a starter for Manchester United, but I think he’s underrated.”
38 min: From a United corner, the ball falls kindly to Martinez, who volleys fiercely at goal … blocked by Anderson. There are faint appeals for handball but the referee correctly waves play on again.
“VAR have just given it as a penalty to Celtic,” quips Bill Gibson.
Updated
36 min: I wonder how much Fernandes’ assist record is playing on his mind? Every time the United playmaker gets around the Forest box, one expects him to pass so it’s always a surprise when he shoots. Fernandes’ shot on this occasion is blocked.
34 min: Twice Forest are denied a free-kick in quick succession, as Anderson and Gibbs-White tumble to the turf within 30 seconds of each other. Neither challenge is given as a foul, much to the pair’s displeasure. Anderson is deemed to have slipped, Gibbs-White maybe just fell over.
32 min: From the resulting free-kick, Anderson whips a cross to the near post. Dominguez, not the tallest Forest player out there, darts in and heads over! The Argentinian should have done better!
31 min: Gibbs-White looks full of it today, albeit with a mask on his face to protect that scar. The Forest No 10 is strutting around like he has a point to prove and wins a free-kick on United’s byline after tenacious work to win the ball from Dalot.
29 min: Lammens gets a little lucky: his lazy pass to Mainoo is short and Anderson nips in to try and steal it from the United midfielder. It’s a foul, but that was very nearly a Forest turnover on the edge of United’s box.
26 min: “A World Cup squad is soon to be announced so Luke Shaw suddenly remains fit and on form,” emails Kevin Wilson.
Yep, Shaw does seem to time it well. Of the English players in the two starting XI today, here is what I would expect in regards to going to the World Cup.
Maguire: yes, although perhaps not as a starter.
Shaw: no: O’Reilly and Hall seem to the favourites for left-back.
Mainoo: no, but could potentially sneak in as a back up to Rice and Anderson.
Hutchinson: nowhere near it.
Anderson: yep, obviously.
Gibbs-White: I think you have to take him over Foden, at present.
23 min: Mbeumo has been a fine signing for United this season, but is without a goal in his past 11 matches. He should have scored there, and did the hard part by timing his run and rounding Sels.
Mbeumo hits the post!
21 min: Immediately from that chance, United counter-attack with Cunha racing up the middle. He has options left and right but instead slips in Mbeumo down the middle, who takes a touch or two, rounds Sels and strikes a shot against the bottom of the near post! The ball rebounds out to Fernandes, who attempts a cross, before Mainoo arrives to skew a further chance just wide!
Updated
Morgan Gibbs-White clean through, saved by Lammens!
20 min: On a Forest break, Hutchinson aims for Wood with a pass but the striker lets it go, and Gibbs-White runs onto the ball, striding towards Lammens unopposed! The Belgian spreads himself expertly though and Gibbs-White’s low shot hits a stray leg and away! Big chance for Forest.
Updated
18 min: Much better from Forest, who are not controlling the ball.
16 min: Diallo beats Morata out wide and drives to the byline. The United winger has three teammates to aim for in the middle but drags a cross waywardly and Igor Jesus is able to help clear.
14 min: Casemiro picks the ball up in some space outside the Forest area. “Shoooooooooot”, bellow the home crowd. The Brazilian instead squares it. In the end, Fernandes tries a pop shot but Sels gathers easily.
12 min: Forest are now enjoying some possession, probing rather than creating anything incisive. Gibbs-White is technically playing left-wing today but is in something of a free-role and is floating inside. Dalot doesn’t know whether to follow him, or pass him on.
10 min: In fairness to Forest, they probably weren’t expecting Shaw to shoot. His last goal was over three years ago, in Manchester United’s win over Bournemouth in January 2023.
8 min: Such a poor goal for Forest to concede. Yes the defensive header from Williams could have been a lot better but the visitors also lacked any sort of urgency or intensity to get out to Shaw, who was able to take a touch and shoot.
GOAL! Manchester United 1-0 Nottingham Forest (Shaw 6)
A poor defensive header from Williams lands at the feet of Shaw inside Forest’s area. Shaw takes a brilliant first touch to bring the ball out of the sky and then with his second touch, laces a beauty of a shot into the far corner, off the post and in!
Updated
4 min: Forest are sitting deep and happy to play long to Igor Jesus and Wood, who have a significant height advantage over Lisandro Martinez. But United have settled into a pattern of possession.
2 min: Scrappy start as the teams feel each other out. It’s not often that Manchester United will have faced a 4-4-2, with Chris Wood and Igor Jesus two bruisers up top for Forest.
Peeeeeeeeeeeeep!
And we’re underway at Old Trafford!
Casemiro’s tifo is more of a large banner, really. The Brazilian’s face is pictured next to the slogan: ‘Até à Morte’ (Until death).
Here come the teams! The Manchester United players, the ones that are fathers anyway, are coming out with their children, which is a nice touch. Adam Diallo and Kobbie Mainoo appear to have borrowed some of their teammates’ offspring. Bruno Fernandes’ daughter is unmistakably a Fernandes.
Vítor Pereira has just given one of the most forgettable pre-match interviews of all time, except possibly for this sentence. Neil Warnock’s legacy lives on.
It’s time to enjoy, but enjoy competing for the three points.
Will Unwin’s thoughts on what is sure to be a busy transfer window for Manchester United.
A big boost for Forest that Morgan Gibbs-White is back in the starting XI. The midfielder sustained a gruesome facial injury in the 3-1 win over Chelsea, which led him to missing Forest’s crucial Europa League semi-final second-leg defeat at Villa. His appearance today should allay any fears about him not being fit/healed for the World Cup. Based on form, Thomas Tuchel simply has to take him as a back-up to the tournament. Ollie Watkins is the only Englishman to score more than Gibbs-White’s 13 Premier League goals this season. That’s quite something for a midfielder at a club near the bottom of the table.
Manchester United’s men will wear next season’s home kit against Forest. The strip was debuted by the women’s team in their WSL game at Chelsea on Saturday. I would describe it as underwhelming.
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Team news!
Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Amad, Fernandes, Cunha; Mbeumo.
Subs: Bayindir, Dorgu, Heaven, Malacia, Mazraoui, Yoro, Mount, Ugarte, Zirkzee.
No great surprises here. Bryan Mbeumo replaces Joshua Zirkzee, while Diogo Dalot is back in at right-back in place of Noussair Mazraoui.
Nottingham Forest (4-4-2): Sels; Williams, Morato, Milenkovic, Netz; Hutchinson, Anderson, Dominguez, Gibbs-White; Wood, Igor Jesus.
Subs: Victor, Ortega, Sangaré, Awoniyi, Yates, Cunha, McAtee, Bakwa, Abbott.
It looks like Forest are lined up in the 4-4-2 formation that served them so well in the 5-0 win at Sunderland. A narrow and compact midfield, with Gibbs-White given something of a free role from the left-hand side. Two traditional strikers that will press high and hope to force United’s defence into errors.
Will Unwin, our reporter at Old Trafford today, checks in with some pre-match thoughts. He thinks that any announcement over Carrick today would be “highly unlikely”.
For many it is a redundant game at the end of a very long season for Manchester United and Nottingham Forest. There have been many twists, turns and managerial changes but both have achieved their goals; United and back in the Champions League and Forest have survived in the Premier League.
Michael Carrick will be announced as the permanent Manchester United head coach in the coming days but it is highly unlikely to be today at this stage. He has done a fine job and gave United little option other than keeping him on.
The real interest today comes in the form of Elliot Anderson who is high on United’s midfield shortlist but their £80m valuation of the England international may cause them to miss out to rivals Manchester City, who also want him. A big performance today, on Casemiro’s farewell, could make the United hierarchy reconsider the figures because they need to improve the squad going into Europe next summer.
A reminder of the Premier League table before kick-off:
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 36 | 42 | 79 |
| 2 | Man City | 36 | 43 | 77 |
| 3 | Man Utd | 36 | 15 | 65 |
| 4 | Aston Villa | 37 | 6 | 62 |
| 5 | Liverpool | 37 | 10 | 59 |
| 6 | AFC Bournemouth | 36 | 4 | 55 |
| 7 | Brighton | 36 | 10 | 53 |
| 8 | Brentford | 36 | 3 | 51 |
| 9 | Chelsea | 36 | 6 | 49 |
| 10 | Everton | 36 | 0 | 49 |
| 11 | Fulham | 36 | -6 | 48 |
| 12 | Sunderland | 36 | -9 | 48 |
| 13 | Newcastle | 36 | -2 | 46 |
| 14 | Leeds | 36 | -5 | 44 |
| 15 | Crystal Palace | 36 | -9 | 44 |
| 16 | Nottm Forest | 36 | -2 | 43 |
| 17 | Tottenham Hotspur | 36 | -9 | 38 |
| 18 | West Ham | 36 | -20 | 36 |
| 19 | Burnley | 36 | -36 | 21 |
| 20 | Wolverhampton | 36 | -41 | 18 |
Preamble
Michael Carrick and Vítor Pereira have both done quite the job. The former, despite only getting the interim gig at Manchester United in January, has even ended up on the Premier League Manager of the Year shortlist (alongside Keith Andrews, Mikel Arteta, Pep Guardiola, Andoni Iraola and Régis Le Bris) after 10 wins from 15 games, just two defeats and more points than any other side in the division since his appointment. Carrick is expected to be imminently offered a two-year permanent contract at Old Trafford, with an option of a further 12 months. We may well see that announced today in person at the stadium, given this is Manchester United’s final home game of the season. As is customary, the club’s manager will address the crowd after full-time. Maybe the good days really are coming under Carrick.
Today will have a celebratory end-of-season feel that has been missing at Old Trafford for a while now: Champions League football next season is assured, third place can be mathematically sealed against Forest and there will be tributes to Casemiro both before and after the game. A tifo to the Brazilian in the Stretford End is expected to be unfurled as the players walk out for kick-off, while Casemiro will also give a post-match speech.
Credit must also go to Pereira at Forest, another Portuguese speaker who has been something of a slow burn. When he was appointed in February, Forest were 17th in the Premier League, three points above the drop zone, after two wins in their last 10 games. After a win at Fenerbahce in his opening match, the 57-year-old then lost four of his next five matches, with the pressure very much still on.
But a run of five straight wins in all competitions earned both Premier League survival and a European semi-final. Pereira can be proud of what he has achieved It is very much mission accomplished, and Carrick is not the only manager at Old Trafford today being linked with a new contract.
Kick-off: 12.30pm BST.
