Manchester United clinched third place in the Premier League table as they beat Nottingham Forest 3-2 in a thriller at Old Trafford on Sunday.
WATCH — Full replay
Luke Shaw gave United the lead but Forest equalized early in the second half through Morato, then it was chaos for the final 35 minutes.
Matheus Cunha put United back ahead soon after in controversial fashion as Bryan Mbeumo looked to have committed a handball but referee Michael Salisbury stuck with his original decision despite VAR advising him to rule it out as he deemed the incident as an accidental handball.
Mbeumo then put United 3-1 up as Bruno Fernandes moved to 20 assists for the season, equaling the record for most assists in a Premier League season which is held by Kevin de Bruyne and Thierry Henry. Fernandes has one more game to go and could have had a few more assists on Sunday.
Morgan Gibbs-White made it 3-2 late on as Forest went for it, but United had several glorious chances to make it 4-2 but couldn’t quite convert.
The win moves them on to 68 points for the season, while Forest remain on 43.
Fernandes equals assist record in dazzling fashion
Bruno Fernandes has joined De Bruyne and Henry in racking up 20 assists in a single Premier League season and the Portuguese playmaker could have had three of four more on Sunday. He was at the heart of so many United counters and his quality is incredible. United’s forwards let him down on more than a few occasions but they will go all out to get him the outright record next weekend at Brighton. Fernandes has oozed class on the ball since he arrived at United and Michael Carrick seems to have got the best out of him in terms of his positioning and allowing him to create and dictate the tempo of games. Fernandes sticking around and being the focal point for United next season will be key and at the age of 31 it still feels like he has at least four or five more seasons at the very top of the game.
What’s next?
United finish with a trip to Brighton on the final day, while Forest host Bournemouth.
Manchester United vs Nottingham Forest score: 3-2
Shaw 5', Cunha 55', Mbeumo 76'; Morato 53', Gibbs-White 78'
Manchester United vs Nottingham Forest live updates! — By Joe Prince-Wright
Zirkzee denied!
Another excellent break led by Fernandes but Zirkzee’s shot is first blocked, then his rebound is pushed away by Sels. United have been so close to a fourth goal.
SO CLOSE 🫣
— USA Sports (@usasports) May 17, 2026
Fantastic gloves from Matz Sels 🧤
🔴 Manchester United: 3
⚪️ Nottingham Forest: 2
⏱️ 90+7’ pic.twitter.com/l6DMfiohxN
Dalot hits the post!
Fernandes leads yet another counter and it ends with Diogo Dalot hitting the post. Would that have been another assist for Fernandes?
Denied by the woodwork 🤯
— USA Sports (@usasports) May 17, 2026
Bruno Fernandes barely denied the outright record 👀
🔴 Manchester United: 3
⚪️ Nottingham Forest: 2
⏱️ 90+6’ pic.twitter.com/sm7pIfUZ2B
Fernandes has led a few breakaways but United can’t finish Forest off
Bruno Fernandes is at the heart of everything United are doing and he has had some great chances on the counter. Forest are wide open. Fernandes picks the wrong pass to Diallo this time and the ball rolls out of play. United can finish Forest off here.
Dorgu denied by Sels!
Fernandes almost got the record! He pings a lovely ball across to Dorgu who takes a touch and drills it on target but Sels saves well.
Casemiro says goodbye
An emotional farewell to Old Trafford for Casemiro, who gets a standing ovation and is lauded for his time at the club. The Brazilian legend is leaving this summer when his contract expires.
Casemiro says farewell at Old Trafford 👏
— USA Sports (@usasports) May 17, 2026
🔴 Manchester United: 3
⚪️ Nottingham Forest: 2
⏱️ 79’ pic.twitter.com/gTpYkZijBk
Gibbs-White slots home to set up a wild finale!
Anderson with a lovely cross and Gibbs-White somehow sorts his feet out to punch the ball into the far corner. Great finish. 3-2! Just over 10 minutes to go for them to find an equalizer.
FOREST SCORE ‼️ ‼️ ‼️
— USA Sports (@usasports) May 17, 2026
Morgan Gibbs-White puts Nottingham back into the game 🌳
🔴 Manchester United: 3
⚪️ Nottingham Forest: 2
⏱️ 78’ pic.twitter.com/GdD9HGJeV3
Mbeumo gets his goal, and Fernandes gets his assist!
Bruno Fernandes drills over a delicious cross and Mbeumo finally gets his goal as he prods it home. Bruno Fernandes equals the assist record for a single Premier League season with one game to go. Can he get past 20 before the end of this game to surpass Thierry Henry and Kevin de Bruyne in the history books?
BRUNO FERNANDES HAS DONE IT 🚨🚨🚨
— USA Sports (@usasports) May 17, 2026
20 assists on the season 👏👏👏
🔴 Manchester United: 3
⚪️ Nottingham Forest: 1
⏱️ 75’ pic.twitter.com/SjShRUTqDx
Mbeumo misses another big chance!
Bruno Fernandes is going for the assist record and he should have had it, as his pass through to Mbeumo is perfect but the United striker lashes it over the bar. Mbeumo has now missed three big chances today.
Lammens denies a surging Gibbs-White
Forest are fired up and angry about that decision. Morgan Gibbs-White barrels through United’s defense and is in the box after some quick feet. But Lammens comes off his line to make a save down low.
After a lengthy VAR review, Cunha scores straight away to put United back ahead!
A cross comes in and Bryan Mbeumo takes a swing at the ball. The ball hits his elbow as he looks to control it. Then the ball falls to Matheus Cunha who slots home to make it 2-1. VAR is checking the handball and asks the referee to go to the pitch-side monitor as they recommended for the goal to be ruled it. Referee Michael Salisbury has a long look at this and decides to stick with his original decision and says the handball was accidental. The goal stands!
IMMEDIATE RESPONSE 🤯
— USA Sports (@usasports) May 17, 2026
Matheus Cunha puts the Red Devils back up on top! Goal confirmed after a possible handball review 🚨
🔴 Manchester United: 2
⚪️ Nottingham Forest: 1
⏱️ 55’ pic.twitter.com/mN4nQ2ilGj
Morato heads home!
A short corner is whipped in by Elliot Anderson and Morato is there to head home the equalizer. That was coming. Amad Diallo didn’t do enough to stop that short corner coming in.
FOREST EQUALIZER 🚨 🚨 🚨
— USA Sports (@usasports) May 17, 2026
Morato with his first score since 2022 🤯
🔴 Manchester United: 1
⚪️ Nottingham Forest: 1
⏱️ 52’ pic.twitter.com/gutExmvjDp
Mbeumo lashes a great chance over!
United hit Forest on the counter and Cunha’s teasing ball across is kept in by Amad but his pass sees the ball bounce up and Mbeumo lashes it over the bar. It’s a really good chance for United to go 2-0 up, but Mbeumo just isn’t looking confident right now.
Dominguez heads over!
Forest have recovered well after that early goal for United. Anderson’s free kick is whipped in to the near post but Nicolas Dominguez sends his header from close range just over. That probably should have been 1-1.
Gibbs-White denied, then Mbeumo hits the post!
End-to-end few seconds as Forest played through the middle and Gibbs-White was waiting. He may have just been offside but Lammens makes a fine save down low. United then break and Cunha sets up Mbeumo who rounds Sels but hits the post. United keep the attack going and it ends with Casemiro rolling the ball wide. Almost 1-1 and then almost 2-0 in a matter of seconds. Lively in the sunshine at Old Trafford!
What a hit from Luke Shaw!
Okay, we are off to a flier at Old Trafford. A looping ball into the box from Bruno Fernandes is nodded down and Luke Shaw has time to take a touch and then drill a low shot into the far corner. Brilliantly taken goal, but that was very poor defensively from Forest. They all backed off Shaw and thought he was going to hit it first time.
MANCHESTER GOAL 🚨🚨🚨
— USA Sports (@usasports) May 17, 2026
What a way to open the final home game of the season. Luke Shaw pure class 👏👏👏
🔴 Manchester United: 1
⚪️ Nottingham Forest: 0
⏱️ 5’ pic.twitter.com/f1KMjrjoI4
Manchester United lineup
Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Amad, Fernandes, Cunha; Mbeumo
Nottingham Forest lineup
Sels; Williams, Milenkovic, Morato, Netz; Hutchinson, Anderson, Dominguez, Gibbs-White; Igor Jesus, Wood
Manchester United team news, focus
OUT: Matthijs de Ligt (unspecified - MORE) | QUESTIONABLE: Manuel Ugarte (back), Casemiro (unspecified), Benjamin Sesko (shin)
Nottingham Forest team news, focus
OUT: Callum Hudson-Odoi (thigh), Willy Boly (knee), Nicola Savona (knee), John Victor (knee) | QUESTIONABLE: Ola Aina (unspecified), Zach Abbott (head), Murillo (thigh), Ibrahima Sangare (unspecified), Dan Ndoye (groin), Morgan Gibbs-White (facial).
Manchester United vs Nottingham Forest preview
The Red Devils have 65 points following a scoreless draw at Sunderland in Week 36, and have already sealed a place in the UEFA Champions League. Interim boss Michael Carrick may be moving toward the permanent job but sure would love to be rolling through wins during the discussions.
Forest will have to resist the urge to limp to the season’s finish line after exiting the Europa League. It worked alright in Week 36, as the Tricky Trees rebounded from a deficit to draw Newcastle. A trip to Old Trafford should prove a bit more challenging, but United could still be missing Benjamin Sesko and Casemiro.
Manchester United vs Nottingham Forest prediction
The Red Devils seem due for a bounce back and perhaps that’ll be assured if Casemiro and/or Sesko are ready to go, especially with question marks over Murllo and Morgan Gibbs-White on the other side. Manchester United 2-1 Nottingham Forest.
How to watch Manchester United vs Nottingham Forest live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 7:30am ET Sunday
Venue: Old Trafford — Manchester
TV Channel: USA
Streaming: Watch on USA
