EPL: Man United Seal Third Place With 3-2 Win Over Nottingham Forest

Controversial United win confirms top-three finish

Bruno Fernandes matched the Premier League assist record with his 20th of the season.

Goals from Shaw, Cunha, and Mbeumo sealed victory despite Forest’s late push...

Manchester United confirmed a third-place finish in the Premier League after a 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest. The result was a contentious one, but it ended United’s run of four Premier League games without a win against Forest.

With Champions League qualification already secured, the day also served as a farewell for Casemiro at Old Trafford.

Casemiro didn’t play a part in United’s quick start. The hosts went ahead inside five minutes when Forest failed to clear Bruno Fernandes’ cross properly. Luke Shaw took one touch to control it and fired a half-volley into the bottom corner. It was his first goal since January 2023 and United’s fastest Premier League goal at home in two years.

Nottingham Forest had a chance to level midway through the half when Morgan Gibbs-White was played through after a United mistake. His effort was denied by a strong save from Senne Lammens.

Forest’s miss almost came back to haunt them immediately. United broke the other way, and Bryan Mbeumo rounded Matz Sels before hitting the post. Casemiro followed up with a volley from the rebound, but it went just wide.

Those 30 seconds produced most of the first-half drama. After that, Lisandro Martinez came closest with a blocked shot, but United held their lead into the break. Their record when leading at half-time in league games was 399 matches unbeaten coming into today, and that stat looked set to help them lock in third place.

The run was under threat within 10 minutes of the restart. Forest worked a short corner to Elliot Anderson, and his delivery found Morato, who headed home his first goal for the club.

United responded straight from kick-off. Matheus Cunha swept in a loose ball inside the box, but the goal sparked debate. Mbeumo appeared to control it with his arm before his shot was blocked and fell to the Brazilian.

VAR reviewed the incident. After being sent to the monitor, referee Michael Salisbury made the unusual call to stick with his original decision, much to Forest’s frustration.

Bruno Fernandes was chasing an assist to match the all-time Premier League record for a single season. Moments later he played Mbeumo through on goal, but the forward lifted his effort over the bar.

Fernandes didn’t have to wait long for his record assist. The same combination produced United’s third when he drove a ball across the area and Mbeumo turned it home. The goal ended Mbeumo’s 11-game drought and made Fernandes the third player in Premier League history to reach 20 assists in a season, joining Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.

A three-point Sunday at Old Trafford! ✅

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 17, 2026

Forest refused to back down and hit back soon after. Gibbs-White finished smartly from Anderson’s cross to make it 3-2. It meant the third straight head-to-head at Old Trafford between these sides finished with the same scoreline. Diogo Dalot hit the post in stoppage time, and Joshua Zirkzee forced a strong save from Sels moments later, but United held on.

United’s turnaround under Michael Carrick has secured third place, and reports suggest it will be enough to give him the job permanently. For Forest, the defeat had little impact as their Premier League status was already safe.