A stunning late strike from Amad Diallo earned Manchester United a 2–2 draw at Nottingham Forest, extending the club’s unbeaten run to four games.
The game marked the one-year anniversary of Ruben Amorim’s appointment at Old Trafford and he’d have been pleased with what he saw after 45 minutes as Casemiro’s goal gave the Red Devils a half-time lead.
The goal had come about in controversial circumstances, with Forest adamant the ball had not gone behind for the corner that subsequently led to Casemiro’s free header, and that decision appeared to galvanise the home team as they hit back in some style after the interval.
Morgan Gibbs-White levelled the game, heading home Ryan Yates’s cross, before Nicolo Savona punished some lackadaisical United defending to put Forest 2–1 up.
But after Bruno Fernandes had hit the post and Callum Hudson-Odoi had flashed wide, Amad netted a terrific volley from outside the penalty area to earn United a share of the spoils and take them fifth in the Premier League.
Man Utd Player Ratings vs. Nottingham Forest (3-4-2-1)
GK: Senne Lammens—5.6: Largely powerless to prevent Forest’s two goals but didn’t have his best game distribution wise, completing just 61% of his passes on the day.
CB: Leny Yoro—6.4: Saw plenty of the ball as United stroked it around and retained possession but looked flustered in the early stages of the second half.
CB: Matthijs de Ligt—6.8: Couldn’t get off the ground for the cross that eventually led to Forest’s second—a disappointing moment that saw the Dutchman right on top of Yoro.
CB: Luke Shaw—6.8: Pulled about at times thanks to the movement of Dan Ndoye and Igor Jesus but another solid showing from the 30-year-old.
RWB: Amad Diallo—6.9: Struggled to cope with the trickery and directness of Hudson-Odoi at times but offered plenty himself going forward. Superb technique for the volley was worth the admission fee.
CM: Casemiro—8.6: Another combative and battling display in midfield was complemented by the game’s opening goal. The Brazilian continues to prove that he’s not yet done at the highest level.
CM: Bruno Fernandes—8.2: United’s captain offered plenty of variety in his passing, keeping things simple while also showing his range. Unlucky not to score when pinging Sels’s post from distance.
LWB: Diogo Dalot—6.7: Beaten to the punch by Savona when the ball broke loose in United’s penalty area—a lapse in concentration that Amorim really didn’t need.
RF: Bryan Mbeumo—7.2: The Cameroonian has that aura about him, suggesting he could contribute the sublime at any moment. Played a couple of wonderfully weighted passes to fashion openings for United.
ST: Benjamin Šeško—6.1: Put himself about up front, giving Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo plenty to think about physically, but his touch let him down on a couple of occasions.
LF: Matheus Cunha—8.4: Brought his usual verve and spark to United’s attacking play and wasn’t afraid to run at Forest’s defence. Did his bit defensively as well which would have satisfied Amorim.
Subs not used: Altay Bayındır (GK), Ayden Heaven, Harry Maguire, Manuel Ugarte, Kobbie Mainoo, Patrick Dorgu, Mason Mount, Joshua Zirkzee.
Nottingham Forest (4-2-3-1)
Starting XI: Matz Sels; Nicolo Savana, Nikola Milenkovic, Murillo, Neco Williams; Douglas Luiz, Elliot Anderson; Dan Ndoye, Morgan Gibbs-White, Callum Hudson-Odoi; Igor Jesus.
Subs used: Ryan Yates, Taiwo Awoniyi, Ibrahim Sangaré.
Subs not used: John Victor (GK), Jair Cunha, Morato, James McAtee, Arnaud Kalimuendo, Omari Hutchinson.
Player of the Match: Casemiro (Man Utd)
Nottingham Forest 2–2 Man Utd—How It Unfolded at the City Ground
The mood in the two camps couldn’t have been more different as the referee’s whistle got proceedings underway in the east Midlands. Forest had just five points and five goals to their name from their opening nine matches, while United were brimming with confidence after winning three successive games under Amorim.
United’s renewed belief was evidenced by a bright start to the game that saw Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Šeško link up nicely, though the Slovenian’s third-minute strike on goal was blocked behind for a corner.
Goalkeeper Senne Lammens also got an early touch of the ball, palming Dan Ndoye’s fizzing effort over the bar with both hands, before Amad tested the reach of Matz Sels with a deflected effort that was heading towards the top corner.
The dynamic of the game shifted when Savona was adjudged to have run the ball out for a United corner—the assistant referee making the decision despite being on the other side of the pitch—and the controversial nature of the call saw Forest switch off and allow Casemiro to head home Fernandes’s in-swinger unchallenged.
Deadlock = broken 🔓 pic.twitter.com/8ySnjqLf8B
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) November 1, 2025
The decision clearly fired up Sean Dyche and his players as they came roaring out of the traps in the second half. Yates’s floated cross to the back post was contested by Gibbs-White and Amad, and the Forest playmaker showed more strength and desire than United’s makeshift wingback to plant a perfectly weighted header into the corner of Lammens’s net.
With the home faithful still catching their breath, Forest sprung forward again and caught United cold to go 2–1 up. Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt were unable to get the better of Igor Jesus in the air and the loose ball was gobbled by the eager Savona, who nipped ahead of the sleeping Diogo Dalot to control and prod home from close range.
A frantic period then saw Fernandes strike Sels’s post from 25 yards out—the Portuguese’s effort was well placed but not particularly well struck—and Casemiro was unable to prod the rebound towards goal with his studs.
The lively Callum Hudson-Odoi, who troubled Amad on the left wing and was a nuisance when cutting inside centrally, flashed a powerful low effort wide as Forest looked to put the game out of sight, but it was United who would have the last word thanks to Amad’s brilliance.
Mbeumo’s corner was half-cleared by Forest and the ball eventually found its way towards Amad on the edge on the penalty area—with one swing of the left boot he arrowed a rocket of a volley into Sels’s bottom right-hand corner, sending the away faithful into delirium while ensuring United’s forward momentum under Amorim continues.
Nottingham Forest vs. Man Utd Half-Time Stats
Nottingham Forest vs. Man Utd Full-Time Stats
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Man Utd Player Ratings vs. Nottingham Forest: Stunning Late Goal Earns Point.