Manchester United were forced to settle for a 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest after a dramatic Premier League clash at the City Ground. Amad Diallo’s thunderous volley late in the game rescued a point for United, who had earlier surrendered a first-half lead in controversial circumstances.
The match began with United in control, dictating tempo and territory. Their breakthrough came midway through the first half when Casemiro headed home from a corner that sparked debate. Officials ruled that Nicolò Savona had failed to keep a Bruno Fernandes pass in play, awarding the corner that led to the opener. Forest’s defenders switched off, allowing Casemiro to rise unmarked and nod beyond goalkeeper Matz Sels. It was yet another set-piece lapse for Forest, who have conceded a league-high number of goals from such situations this season.
Despite Sean Dyche’s efforts to tighten his side defensively, Forest’s frailties at dead balls continued to cost them. The hosts, however, came out with renewed purpose after the break. Within a blistering 102-second spell, they turned the game on its head. Ryan Yates floated a clever cross to the back post, where Morgan Gibbs-White outmuscled Diallo to guide a header into the far corner. Seconds later, Savona capitalised on a loose ball in the box, showing great composure to control and stab home past Senne Lammens, sending the City Ground into raptures.
United looked shell-shocked after conceding twice in quick succession, with Forest’s energy unsettling their backline. Callum Hudson-Odoi and Igor Jesus were constant threats, combining pace and aggression to stretch United’s defence. Dalot and Diallo, operating as wing-backs, struggled to contain Forest’s wide play.
However, United refused to surrender. Fernandes came close when his curling shot struck the post, while Casemiro’s rebound attempt was smothered. The equaliser, when it came, was nothing short of spectacular. A Forest clearance dropped to Diallo on the edge of the area, and the Ivorian connected sweetly, volleying into the top corner to silence the home crowd.
Both sides pressed for a winner in the closing stages, but neither could find the decisive touch. Forest will feel aggrieved not to have claimed all three points, while United will view Diallo’s strike as a crucial moment of individual brilliance that prevented defeat on Ruben Amorim’s first anniversary in charge.
