Man Utd
How a Disputed Corner and an Assistant’s Signal Sparked Fury After Forest 2–2 Man Utd
Dyche called the opening goal ‘farcical’ after Casemiro’s corner; VAR cannot review corners. period.
Manchester United’s opening goal in the 2–2 draw with Nottingham Forest provoked a fierce reaction from the Forest camp after a corner was awarded that manager Sean Dyche described as “farcical.” Referee Darren England deferred to his assistant Akil Howson, who signalled for a corner from the opposite side of the pitch. Casemiro headed United in front from that set piece.
Dyche led the complaints, telling Sky Sports: “It’s not inconclusive,” and adding, “I’ve seen it back.” In his postmatch press conference he continued: “Of course you can argue about us dealing with it, but the point is it’s the wrong decision. What’s even worse is that the assistant referee has given it from 75 yards away, behind the view of the goal. Apparently he can see it.
“We can clearly see the ball hanging over the line. Whether it’s three-quarters or not is irrelevant, the fact is it’s not out. It’s really disappointing.” Dyche also called for VAR intervention, but video assisted officials at Stockley Park cannot rule on corner kicks.
There is ongoing discussion among the game’s lawmakers about extending VAR’s remit to consider second yellow cards ahead of next summer’s World Cup. Premier League referees chief Howard Webb has previously expressed reluctance to empower VAR even further; “less is more” is his preferred stance, making a change to review corners unlikely.
Forest captain Morgan Gibbs-White added: “It’s something that needs looking at,” and, continuing the theme of recriminations, “it has cost us two extra points today.” Off the field, attention around United’s recent run — a three-match winning streak — drew further colour. That streak prompted scrutiny of Frank Ilett, the Red Devils fan behind The United Strand, who is recording his refusal to cut his hair until the club win five successive matches. United goalkeeper Senne Lammens recently admitted that Illett’s hijinks have perforated United’s dressing room.
Forest wingback Neco Williams posted on social media: “Deserved more than a point,” he wrote. “That trim might have to wait.” For United head coach Ruben Amorim the result was something to build on: “If I think about game, we lost control for five minutes,” he told Match of the Day. “I feel in the recent past if we had had this situation [going from 1–0 up to 2–1 down] we would have struggled so much more than today.
“My feeling is we played well but we dropped a little bit of energy. When we have the full energy we are the better team. My players are giving everything but we have the potential to do better.
“Sometimes we have these moments. In the end we lost two points and we need to get three points in the next game.”
Man Utd
The route that led Manchester United to Ruben Amorim after an earlier six-man shortlist
Amorim was not on United’s initial shortlist but was later pursued after Ten Hag’s October sacking..
Manchester United did not include Ruben Amorim on their first shortlist when the club began seeking a replacement for former manager Erik ten Hag, a report in The Athletic has claimed. That initial list favoured candidates with proven Premier League experience and featured Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, Roberto De Zerbi, Thomas Frank, Marco Silva and Graham Potter.
Sources close to the process identified Tuchel and De Zerbi as early favourites. De Zerbi at one stage appeared to be the preferred external option before United decided to keep Ten Hag in charge and offer him a new contract. Amorim’s name, however, continued to surface in informal conversations over the summer with agents and several figures around the club as part of wider advice-gathering.
Informal contact was made with Amorim and the then-Sporting CP boss impressed those involved. Despite that, United’s hierarchy were concerned that appointing a coach without Premier League experience represented an unnecessary risk while the club underwent significant internal change. As a result, the idea of signing Amorim was shelved at that time.
The situation changed after Ten Hag was sacked in October 2024. Club officials reopened discussions and there was agreement that the Portuguese tactician should be pursued. United accepted the obvious risk of hiring a manager without Premier League experience but judged that a mid-season appointment would allow Amorim to use the second half of the 2024–25 campaign to build that experience.
Amorim’s early period in the job has been difficult. He has admitted his first six months at the helm were filled with disappointment and chaos, so much so that he actually considered quitting the club in the aftermath of defeat in the Europa League final. The sequence underlines how the club’s recruitment thinking shifted from prioritising Premier League experience to embracing a longer-term view when the vacancy reappeared.
Man Utd
Amorim: I Thought About Leaving After Europa League Loss but Now Feels United Are Connected
Amorim said he once considered quitting after the Europa League defeat but now feels the club united
Ruben Amorim has admitted he briefly questioned his future at Manchester United after the club lost the Europa League final, but says the mood around the squad has shifted as players have started to show their true ability.
A summer overhaul brought Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Šeško to refresh United’s frontline and to provide profiles suited to Amorim’s preferred 3-4-2-1 system. That recruitment, combined with a run of three straight wins, represents a clear change of direction. United had failed to win back-to-back matches of any kind during Amorim’s first 11 months in charge and had won only one of their first five games in 2025–26.
Victory over Nottingham Forest on Saturday could temporarily lift the club to second in the Premier League, a sign of how recent results have eased some of the gloom that has surrounded Old Trafford.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Amorim opened up about the pressure he felt after the Europa League disappointment and the struggles early in the season. He said: “It’s hard to say that. Sometimes, in some moments,” Amorim said, reflecting on the fact United also won only one of their first five games in 2025–26. “There were some moments that were tough to deal with, to lose so many games. That was so hard for me because this is Manchester United .
“The position that we had in the last year, putting all the attention on the Europa League and not winning. That was massive. I had some moments that I struggled a lot and I was thinking that maybe it’s not meant to be.
“Today is the opposite. So you can write this one. Today I feel and I know that was the best decision in my life. I want to be here but for that I need to win against Nottingham Forest.”
Amorim also warned that progress must be protected and that the team still has work to do. “It’s hard to say. We need to think positively, but we also need to be prepared that football is [up and down]. And we are not that team that I can say to you, no, no, no.
“Now we can lose here or there, but we are going to maintain. I trust in my players more. I think they trust me more. That will come with wins. And you can sense that because everyone now is saying that, how connected they are and they believe in the manager.
“It’s about winning games. It didn’t change a lot because against Arsenal , I saw the same team, so I don’t know.
“I think that we are in a better place, but it’s also really good to be always with that feeling and prepare that something can change. If we have that feeling, we’ll pay attention to the details and we’ll maintain that course of our path.
“I can say that we are a better team in this moment, and we feel that and we know that, and that can help us to overcome better the bad moments.”
Man Utd
United to Maintain Transfer Backing as Amorim’s Side Builds Momentum
Wilcox: United will keep investing after a £230m summer and an upturn that has produced three wins.
Manchester United’s director of football Jason Wilcox has signalled the club will continue to support Ruben Amorim in the transfer market after a visible upturn in results.
The club moved decisively in the summer, committing to spend up to £230 million ($302.5 million) on four new players. That outlay was aimed at an attacking overhaul and early returns are beginning to show.
Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha have been described as additions of Premier League-proven quality, while Benjamin Šeško has also shown promise. Senne Lammens has taken the No. 1 goalkeeper spot, and those personnel changes have coincided with improved results on the pitch.
Winning two Premier League games in a row for the first time since Amorim took charge last November has quickly turned into three, and United are now just two points shy of second place in the standings. That progress has underpinned Wilcox’s message that recruitment will remain a priority.
“We have got a clear plan. We know what we have got to do, we know the areas of the team that we have got to improve,” Wilcox explained, confirming the intention is not to stop here.
“For us to get in the top four and consistently challenge for Champions League places, win Champions Leagues, win Premier Leagues, we have got to invest in the squad. We have got to buy the right players. The right players who are talented but also who can deal with the pressure, who can take the squad forward. It is not always about just signing elite talent, they have got to have the right character and be somebody who can bring something different to the team.
“We are really happy with where we are, we know we have got to improve and, you know, the players, they will never be satisfied, Ruben will never be happy, I will never be happy, it is just how we are built. We are always looking to improve. Anybody who works at Manchester United should be thinking the same and they do, with the standards we are driving every day.”
