Morgan Gibbs-White revealed he never anticipated scoring after taking a shot that contributed to Nottingham Forest’s second goal in their 3-2 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday. After Rasmus Højlund had equalized for United, Forest regained the lead within two minutes of the second half when Gibbs-White fired from the edge of the box. His shot was aimed directly at goalkeeper Andre Onana, who has been in fine form for United this season. However, Onana misjudged the flight of the ball, allowing it to slip past him and into the net.
It was a bizarre moment for Onana, who was also at fault for Forest’s third goal. A lapse in communication between him and Lisandro Martínez led to Chris Wood’s header drifting in at the far post. Reflecting on his own goal, Gibbs-White, who made his England debut earlier this season, admitted he was not expecting to celebrate after taking the shot.
“I didn’t think it was going in at all, to be honest,” Gibbs-White told Sky Sports. “I don’t want to discredit Onana because he’s an excellent goalkeeper, but when I shot, I thought he would easily catch it. But hey, you take them when they come, right? I’m just glad I could help the team.”
Forest came out with high intensity after the break, quickly stretching their lead to 3-1. Gibbs-White attributed this quick turnaround to specific halftime instructions. He and teammate Chris Wood were told to stay more narrow, which helped them control United’s midfield and exploit the wings. “We caught them on the counter a couple of times—that was the plan,” he added.
