Manchester United are back in the driver’s seat in the race for a top-four finish as they moved six points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon.
Erik ten Hag’s men made the trip to Nottingham Forest for the second time this season and a comfortable 2-0 victory made it four straight wins over Steve Cooper’s men this campaign, scoring ten goals and conceding none in the process.
It was a straightforward affair for United but wasteful finishing meant it was a tense game for most of the 90 minutes and one incident seems to have rubbed Forest manager Cooper the wrong way.
Harry Maguire was at the centre of attention in the first 20 minutes but the England star recovered to deliver a dominant performance at the City Ground.
Cooper is, however, claiming that Maguire should have been sent off for a second bookable offence in the first half, having supposedly blocked the ball with his arm.
Speaking after the game, Cooper insisted the VAR should have intervened and awarded the hosts a penalty. There was a check from the VAR officials but the on-field decision from Simon Hooper stood.
“We had some good moments, a few set plays,” Cooper is quoted as saying by the BBC after the game.
“I definitely think it was a penalty from the Maguire incident, and then a second yellow. The ref should give it, I understand at this level and the type of incident why he did not give it.
“But I do not know how VAR did not spot it, at this level they should be doing better.”
It is absolutely fair to argue that Forest may have been unlucky not to win a penalty but to give Maguire a second yellow card for the foul would have been harsh.
United will feel like decisions over the past couple of months have been cancelled out, however, with Ten Hag bemoaning the performances of some referees recently.
The Dutchman will, above all else, be delighted with his side’s performance in highly turbulent circumstances following serious injuries to several key first-team regulars.
