Erik Ten Hag’s squad couldn’t conclude the year 2023 with a win over an inferior adversary.

As the year 2023 draws to a close, Manchester United is set for their final match with a visit to Nottingham Forest’s stadium.

Despite the home team at City Ground securing a victory against Newcastle United in the last round, Manchester United is understandably considered the stronger side, particularly after demonstrating promising signs with their recent win over Aston Villa.

Nevertheless, Coach Erik Ten Hag’s team faced a significant setback as they had to endure a major loss when Rasmus Hojlund was unable to participate due to physical issues.

Deprived of their primary striker, Manchester United seemed entirely toothless in the first half, managing only one shot. Meanwhile, on the opposite end, Nottingham recorded a total of six shots aimed at Andre Onana’s goal.

In the second half, the scenario remained largely unchanged, and Nottingham broke the deadlock in the 64th minute when Nicolas Dominguez concluded the home team’s swift ɑttɑck with a stylish finish, leaving Onana motionless.

Following the defeat, Manchester United took an assertive approach, pushing their team forward in search of an equalizer. Their efforts paid off by the 78th minute when Marcus Rashford seized a shining moment, bringing the match back to level terms.

Initiating from Garnacho’s remarkable ball recovery right in front of the Nottingham penalty area, Rashford promptly etched his nɑme on the scoreboard with a one-touch shot, capitalizing on a pass from Garnacho.

Nevertheless, rather than replicating the scenario seen against Aston Villa, Manchester United allowed Nottingham to secure the second goal, courtesy of Morgan Gibbs-White in the 82nd minute.

Despite putting in significant efforts and even having up to 10 minutes of extra time to find an equalizer, Manchester United failed to capitalize on a series of opportunities and ultimately left empty-handed.

Following this defeat, the Red Devils find themselves in the 7th position, trailing by a 9-point gap compared to the Top 4. Meanwhile, Nottingham has ascended to the 15th place, securing a 5-point lead over the group positioned perilously close to the relegation zone.