Cooper admitted that Manchester United’s qualities shone through where Nottingham Forest did not.
Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper says Keyler Navas’ free-kick showed how effective Manchester United were in attack as they beat Manchester United 2-0 at the City Ground on Sunday. Anthony’s first league goal since October and Diogo Dalot’s first Premier League goal lifted United to third after Newcastle lost to Aston Villa on Saturday. Tottenham’s defeat at Bournemouth means the Reds are six points clear of fifth place after the game. Erik ten Hag is without Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez due to injury, with the latter ruled out for the rest of the season. Back-ups Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof kept Forest clean sheets for most of the way, saving two opening halves. While Ten Haag demanded relentlessly in attack after the game, Cooper said Keylor Navas, who made five saves during the game, was a busy man.
“We had a couple of shots, two passes, two breaks in the second half, but we couldn’t create any very good chances apart from T [Taiwo Awoniyi]. I put pressure on them and said, ‘You have to hit. post.’ “That’s what they (Manchester United) do and they would have done it. That’s why Keylor played so well today. At this level, there’s no doubt that everything has to be up. “If they have the ball and you are not good you can write, and if you have the ball you have to do the same with the opponent. We just couldn’t get enough.”
