Fernandes penalty caps United recovery from calamitous start

Premier League: Manchester United 3 Nottingham Forest 2

A Bruno Fernandes penalty clinched a dramatic victory for Manchester United that finally gave the club’s supporters something to cheer at the end of a trying week.

After controversy over the handling of the Mason Greenwood affair and continued protest against the Glazer family, United were behind after just four minutes.

But goals from Christian Eriksen and Casemiro brought Erik ten Hag’s team level and Joe Worrall’s straight red on 66 minutes, for tripping Fernandes, proved pivotal.

Ten minutes later, Danilo tripped Marcus Rashford on his way into the Forest area and Fernandes scored with a clinically-converted penalty.

It was a far cry from the chaos of the opening few moments at Old Trafford in which Forest, winners just once on their travels last season, sniffed an upset.

Their first, after a little over 80 seconds, came with the added insult of arriving directly from a United corner, taken by Fernandes and cleared by Brennan Johnson.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka appeared to lose the ball in the sunlight, made no effort to challenge Morgan Gibbs-White who headed on, setting off a thrilling foot race over half the length of the field between Taiwo Awoniyi and Rashford.

Awoniyi, ball at his feet, held off the accelerating Rashford and pushed the ball past Andre Onana in the United goal, just as the striker made a despairing challenge.

Forest fans had more cause for celebration just moments later, when Gibbs-White delivered a dangerous free-kick into the six-yard area, which Lisandro Martinez or Wan-Bissaka looked favourite to clear, only for the ball to reach Willy Boly, seemingly striking the Forest defender in the face on its way into the goal.

But at least ten Hag saw a