This was typical United. Only we can go to the champions and pick up a deserved victory and then in our next away game, drop points at a side in the relegation zone and who's had more managers than wins. This was also a Forest team who hadn't scored in three straight home games.

Yet we gifted them 2.

Ruben Amorim saw his winning run come to an end in a disappointing performance at The City Ground in which his United side missed the opportunity to go 2nd in the table and further showcase that perhaps they truly have turned a corner.

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Lineup

He named an unchanged XI from the one that beat Brighton last week which happened to be the first time Amorim has named the same team in back-to-back matches since becoming United manager, which was a year ago today.

Suppose it was only fitting that it finished in a draw much like his first game in charge.

For once though, with that lineup, there weren't too many complaints. Usually, fans are left confused and frustrated at the XI selected to a point where our confidence drops a little.

I liked this team and actually believed that we had an even better chance of winning because of this selection.

Of course, we wouldn't get the 3 points and now we'll probably see a side that many people will have their reservations about.

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First Half

We didn't have a good opening to the game. This sort of set the tone for what was to come because we didn't have a good game.

Forest were too comfortable and confident with and without the ball as United struggled to stamp their authority at any point in the match let alone the first 45.

A very even half ensued as it was back and forth until United got what appeared to be a fortunate corner. Forest upset with the call as they felt that all of the ball didn't go over all of the line.

A second week in a row where we may have gotten the rub of the green and a second week in a row where we scored from it.

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The resulting corner saw a free header for Casemiro with unc netting his second goal of the season. This comes after a goal (sort of) and assist from last week. Maybe there's a shout to have him in your FPL 👀?

At this point, with that goal, you feel that this is where we kick on.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case as the rest of the half carried on in the same manner as before that goal.

Luckily though, Forest didn't manage to get an equalizer and we went into the break with a lead.

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Second Half

When you go into halftime being a goal up after an average performance, you do take the positive of being ahead but know that you have to play so much better in the second period in order to maintain that lead and/or get another goal.

But we didn't do that. In fact, we did the exact opposite. And how 😳.

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After a decent first half where they were in the game, one could've expected the hosts to come out firing in what was Sean Dyche's first Premier League home game in charge.

That's precisely what they did as Forest came out with a bang as they went bang-bang and turned the game completely on it's head. Two quick-fire goals by Morgan Gibbs-White and Nicola Savona saw Dyche's side take the unexpected lead.

2 goals coming within two minutes of each and just 5 minutes after the restart. Forest taking full advantage of a United side that looked like they were still in the dressing room.

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However, despite falling behind, there was no urgency from United to suggest that we would get back into this match. If anything, it was the home side who appeared likelier to score the next goal which would've killed the game. They did have a couple of good opportunities with a Callum Hudson-Odoi shot going just wide and a header that came off the post.

Bruno did hit the upright as well but from a shot that looked more like a back pass than a shot. We could've done with that going in.

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Amorim then made changes as Dorgu came on for Dalot and strangely Mazraoui was brought on for Yoro. He made no attacking subs nor did he throw on Maguire for some potential late antics as the former captain returned to the squad after missing out through injury last week.

The substitutions made little and less difference as United were finding it difficult to break down a stubborn defense. That familiar Achilles heel coming back to haunt us.

Then, outta nowhere, Amad produces a moment of brilliance as after a headed clearance from a corner, he hit it sweetly on the volley leaving 'keeper Matz Sels with no chance as the ball flew into the back of the net.

An unbelievable goal to get us out of a sticky situation. This was the only way we were going to get a goal: a moment of brilliance.

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2-2 is how the game ended with United failing to take advantage of a Forest side who had just one victory all season and a side beaming with confidence after three wins on the bounce.

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Verdict on Amorim

I think this was a game that we look more to the players rather than the manager for not getting the win. An average first half was given a shining light with that Casemiro header but for this team to then go and concede 2 goals straight away and be on the back foot for the rest of the half cannot be on the manager. He wouldn't have told them to cock up right after halftime.

Where he did fail though, was with the tactics. We all knew that this would be a difficult game for us because of Forest's low block yet we seemed surprised by it. United at no point looked like the side in control or on top and could not break down their defense. Forest's breakaways also caused us problems and you would've hoped that with all this extra time on the training ground, such tactics would be something we'd have worked on to try and combat.

It really was similar to Brentford and even the Europa League final. Clearly, not much has changed in five months.

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Amorim starting Dalot was another issue as even in the previous three wins, he was a standout for being crap. How he is starting and out of position has left everyone perplexed.

The substitutions were also poor as unlike last week where many felt he made the right changes and it was those players who let him down, the manager made the wrong calls. Dorgu for Dalot should've happened much earlier, Mazraoui for Yoro made no sense and he was shit, and then nothing else.

Surely in such a situation, you try to change things?

Not the best of games for the manager.

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Ratings

Lammens - 6

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Yoro - 6

De Ligt - 6.5 MOTM

Shaw - 6

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Amad - 6

Casemiro - 6.5

Bruno - 5.5

Dalot - 4

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Mbeumo - 6

Cunha - 6

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Sesko - 5

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Dorgu - 6

Mazraoui - 5

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Ruben Amorim - 5

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Final Thoughts

This was more a disppointing performance than result. Of course, it's not great when you draw such a game but for us to perform as we did was the real let down.

There's ways to drop points and this wasn't it.

At no moment in the game did I feel we were ever in control. Forest were the better side throughout and would probably feel a little unlucky that they didn't win.

The unacceptable switching off made a comeback, conceding of stupid goals returned, lack of tactics against a low block is still evident, no chance creation remained and relying on moments to bail us out shows a real lack of improvement when playing against this type of opponent.

We're going to face more of these teams than the Liverpool's and Brighton's who play a style that suits how we want to play (long ball, transitional, high press). Forest and most of the sides in the league like Spurs next week, do exactly what we don't like. To know that we're still struggling to cope with that type of opponent is a worry.

But at least there was the positive which was we didn't lose. We played poorly but managed to pick up a point which is something. At Spurs though, we HAVE to win or at least not lose but that is going to be really tough as Thomas Frank does the same thing as Dyche.

Hopefully this week will give us time to fix up our shortcomings against such opposition.

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Amad scores worldie to bail Man Utd out against Forest | Forest 2-2 Man Utd | Image via Manchester United official X (@ManUtd)