Our 3️⃣ points as Man Utd end 2023 on wretched note at Forest | OneFootball

Manchester United ended 2023 in dismal fashion as they suffered a 14th defeat of the season against Nottingham Forest.

Here is what we made of Saturday’s events at the City Ground.

A familiar end to 2023 for Red Devils

After an unlikely comeback win over Aston Villa, Manchester United were on the hunt for another transformative result against Nottingham Forest.

But Erik ten Hag’s side have turned so many corners in the past 12 months alone that they have met themselves coming back several times over.

Perennially one step forward and two steps behind, the Red Devils reverted to type at the City Ground as they ended the calendar year in somewhat familiar fashion.

A 14th defeat in all competitions was accompanied by falling behind in six of their last eight games and being third only to Burnley and Sheffield United for the fewest goals.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe will have his work cut out trying to arrest the malaise which continues to grip the 20-time English champions if 2024 is to prove an exception to recent years.

Forest riding the wave of Nuno effect

Their visitors might be glad to see back of 2023 but Forest fans probably wish it didn’t have to end after the last few games.

Under Nuno Espírito Santo, the hosts appear a very different prospect than prior to his arrival when they were backsliding towards another relegation battle.

Replacing the much-loved Steve Cooper at the City Ground threatened to be a poisoned chalice for the Portuguese – and it still might prove one in the long run.

Yet the early indications appear promising after his new charges were incredibly unlucky at Bournemouth, emphatic against Newcastle and now imperious over United.

Nuno has form with turning a mid-tier Premier League club into a fully fledged mainstay and if he can do the same again, who knows what the future holds for the Tricky Trees?

Free hit can’t mask Rashford’s struggles

If any United player is glad to see the back of 2023, Marcus Rashford is vying with Harry Maguire and André Onana for that particular title.

The forward continues to resemble the husk of the player who appeared highly influential for his boyhood club just 12 months prior.

That he broke a six-game barren streak by scoring what proved to be a conciliatory strike for Ten Hag’s side on Trentside illustrates the point.

Had Matt Turner not gifted Alejandro Garnacho possession through repeated poor distribution, Rashford would still be searching for that elusive goal.

Admittedly he was not helped by having to take the load of Rasmus Højlund’s bout of illness and Anthony Martial’s ongoing unavailability through ailment.

Still, a fit and firing Rashford would have amassed more chances than his glorified free hit at the City Ground.