EPL Wrap-Up: Awoniyi’s Forest beaten at Old Trafford

Nigerian strikers, Taiwo Awoniyi and Emmanuel Dennis were on the losing side with Nottingham Forest on Tuesday as Manchester United ran out comfortable 3-0 winners at Old Trafford. Erik ten Hag had to shuffle his pack because of illness to some key members and Luke Shaw started in central defence with Raphael Varane.

The game was a nostalgic affair for both sides because of the historic moments shared in the past. It was also an opportunity for an old United player, Jesse Lingard, to return to the Theatre of Dreams after his summer departure.

In-form Marcus Rashford scored his fifth EPL goal in the 19th minute with a strike from Christian Eriksen’s corner kick and he assisted Anthony Martial, three minutes later.

The visitors thought they had got themselves back into the game with Joe Yates’ header, but VAR chalked off the goal for offside from Willy Boly.

The second half then ended triumphantly with substitute Fred getting on a through ball from Casemiro in the 87th minute.

The game started with Manchester controlling the ball until Forests’ defender blocked Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s cross in the fourth minute.

Two minutes later, the right-back then sent a well-placed cross, which reached Marcus Rashford, but his effort was blocked.

However, Jesse Lingard, who returned to his former club for the first time after his departure in the summer effort to set up for Taiwo Awoniyi, was repelled by Varane in the 13th minute.

United were in the ascendancy and another goal attempt was created in the 14th minute by Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s cutback to Martial from Rashford’s pass, which was parried away by Joe Worrall in the 14th minute.

Rashford scored in the 14th minute following a corner kick by Christian Eriksen. In the 22nd minute, Rashford assisted Martial for the second goal after the Frenchman’s low shot went past Willy Boly and then squirmed off Hennessey’s palm.

Ten minutes later, Awoniyi’s ball found Ryan Yates, who fired from a distance towards David de Gea who parried for a corner.

With two minutes to the end of the first half, VAR disallowed a Forest goal after Yates’ header found the feet of Boly who was in an offside position.

The visitors seemed to be rejuvenated in the early minutes of the second half as Johnson’s cross was diverted for a corner by Varane in the 47th minute. Three minutes later, Mangala got his head on a cross from Serge Aurier, but it went out.

In the 53rd minute, Jesse Lingard limped off the pitch with applause after suffering a knock and was substituted by O’Brien.

Three minutes later, Anthony failed to score United’s third goal as Hennessey saved the Brazilian’s close-range shot. At the hour mark, Hennessey deflected Martial’s effort to deny United a chance for the third goal.

In the 62nd minute, Awoniyi came off for Samuel Sturridge and Emmanuel Dennis came in for Mangala three minutes later. Forest continued to trail as United sought their third goal with 20 minutes left in the game.

The goal came from substitute Fred, who converted Casemiro’s intercepted through ball in the 87th minute.

Chelsea are back to winning ways

Graham Potter and his boys returned to winning ways with a 2-0 win over Bournemouth after a disappointing performance before the World Cup break.

The Blues had a decent run very early in the game and Kai Havertz broke the deadlock in the 16th minute from Raheem Sterling’s pass.

Eight minutes later, Havertz assisted Mason Mount to score Chelsea’s second goal to seal the lead but the evening’s joy was sullied in the second half when Reece James, who was playing his first competitive match after recovering from a knee injury seemed to suffer a relapse.

The EPL return continues on Wednesday with Leeds United hosting Manchester City at Elland Road.