Video – ‘ madness at its peak ‘: watch what Onana did after Bruno scores as captured by fans in the stadium

Erik ten Hag’s team came into the game with a 30-match unbeaten streak at home in all competitions, but they were defeated twice in the opening four minutes. It was the earliest we’d ever trailed by two goals in the Premier League era, when Taiwo Awiyi broke from a United corner to score, and then Willy Boly headed a lucky second to leave the great majority of those inside dumbfounded.

Never, however, dismiss the Reds and recall them. After 17 minutes, Christian Eriksen cut the score to one before a second-half surge earned a delicious victory. Casemiro equalized from close range before Forest captain Joe Worrall was dismissed. Bruno Fernandes converted a penalty awarded for a foul on Marcus Rashford to give the game a victory.

DISASTEROUS START IN THE FIRST HALF

Antony worked Matt Turner in the first minute, but Old Trafford was rocked moments later as a United corner was cleared, leaving Awoniyi with a race against Rashford to run clear on goal. After our goalie chose to retreat after the interval, the in-form striker kept his cool to tuck past Andre Onana for his eighth Premier League goal in a row.

It escalated from bad to worse a few minutes later. Morgan Gibbs-White’s right-wing free-kick appeared to just contact Boly before bouncing past Onana and into the net, much to the pleasure of the exuberant away end. The Reds were surprised, and it took some time for them to respond, with Fernandes’ shot falling easily to Matt Turner.

Another effort from the captain stretched Turner this time, and the pressure continued as Anthony Martial kept it alive and Rashford did brilliantly to get into the area and squeeze in a driving cross that Eriksen deftly glanced into the far corner of the net on his return to the starting lineup.

Casemiro forced another save from Turner and then had a clear chance to score with a header when a Fernandes corner fell through to him. The ball moved quickly, but supporters in the Stretford End were left asking why we weren’t back on level terms. Aaron Wan-Bissaka did well to meet a Fernandes pass, and his cross squirmed out of Turner’s grasp, but no one was available to capitalize.

Forest gradually regained control, and they could have increased their lead in first-half stoppage time when the energetic Johnson fooled his way into a position to set up Gibbs-White, but the midfielder’s effort struck teammate Awoniyi, much to the relief of the Reds.

RESILIENT REDS RALLY IN THE SECOND HALF

As the visitors attacked soon after the restart, Diogo Dalot had to make a smart interception deep inside his own box, but United took control in terms of possession and producing chances. Fernandes missed a long-range shot before producing a moment of magic in the 52nd minute.

The captain’s free-kick was surprisingly passed out to Rashford, who cleverly returned it to our number eight. Bruno headed it over to an unmarked Casemiro, who smashed home with his second touch to tie the game at 2-2.

Danilo immediately answered with a shot that Onana handled, but action returned to the other end as Turner expertly swiped away Antony’s famous curler. That fantastic save kept things level, and it remained so when Fernandes’ shot from Antony’s right-footed cross rolled the wrong side of the far post.

After Lisandro Martinez’s dangerous ball across the six-yard box eluded everyone, Worrall was shown a red card in the 67th minute for denying Fernandes a goal-scoring opportunity by hauling him down as a Casemiro through ball held up to fall into the Portugal international’s path. Referee Stuart Attwell’s judgment was upheld by VAR, but Fernandes wasted the free kick by attempting to pick out Dalot rather than shooting from the edge of the box.

Bruno’s second shot, however, proved pivotal, as he blasted home from the penalty spot after Rashford pushed his way past Danilo and was clumsily hauled down by the midfielder. The Old Trafford supporters erupted in celebration, but the task was far from finished.

As 11 minutes of stoppage time was signaled, ex-Red Anthony Elanga came on and caused havoc, slashing one shot off target and firing in a teasing centre that Onana couldn’t reach. It was still a nail-biting finish, as it had been against Wolves, but despite the poor start, a second win of 2023/24 was secured.