Nottingham Forest secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday, ending a 30-year wait for a win at the iconic stadium.
The Reds’ last triumph there came in the days of Stan Collymore, who was quick to celebrate Forest’s latest success.
The win was a testament to the tactical nous of head coach Nuno Espirito Santo, whose preparation allowed Forest to deliver a shock result at the Theatre of Dreams.
Jamie Redknapp was full of praise for the Portuguese manager, hailing his work in pushing Forest into fifth place in the Premier League table.
Despite their strong start, Espirito Santo is urging his side to stay grounded. With a string of challenging fixtures ahead, Forest are determined to continue their upward trajectory and build on their remarkable early-season form.
Chris Wood hails Morgan Gibbs-White
The victory came courtesy of goals from Nikola Milenkovic, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Chris Wood, with United unable to claw their way back to parity. While Espirito Santo praised Wood for his contribution, the striker turned the spotlight onto Gibbs-White.
Speaking to BBC Sport, the 33-year-old reflected on his birthday goal and the quality of his teammate’s assist: “Morgs has put in a fantastic delivery, he’s got quality the boy, it’s just about finding areas to cause confusion.”
Gibbs-White shines at Old Trafford
Morgan Gibbs-White’s performance was a standout, with the England international delivering a goal and an assist to cap a dynamic display.
Signed from Wolves for £25 million in the summer of 2022, the 23-year-old has faced scrutiny over his contributions this season. Saturday’s performance, however, offered a glimpse of his potential.
Named Man of the Match by WhoScored, Gibbs-White completed 78 minutes in which he touched the ball 49 times and completed 61% of his 31 passes.
He registered one key pass, but his impact went far beyond the numbers. Using the “eye test,” Gibbs-White was lively, confident, and decisive in key moments.
This performance could prove to be a turning point for Gibbs-White, whose form will be pivotal as Forest aim to consolidate their position in the top half of the table.
As he continues to develop, Forest fans will hope for more displays like this from their talented playmaker.
