An FA Cup classic awaits Manchester United in the quarterfinals, with Liverpool next to travel to Old Trafford in just over two weeks time.
Last night, Erik ten Hag's side picked up an important 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest in a tie that saw plenty of attacking action as well as poor finishing.
Forest vs MUFC
0-1 W
MUFC vs Fulham
1-2 L
Luton Town vs MUFC
1-2 W
Aston Villa vs MUFC
1-2 W
MUFC vs West Ham
3-0 W
Despite dominating the ball in the first half, the Red Devils were extremely vulnerable in transition, with the hosts able to register 12 attempts compared to United's nine.
However, after the break, the visitors looked like the only team that would go on to win the tie, limiting Forest to four shots, and they eventually got their goal with minutes to go via a Bruno Fernandes free kick, which was nodded home by Casemiro.
Casemiro's performance in numbers versus Forest
After being replaced at the weekend due to a head injury, Casemiro returned to the starting XI alongside Scott McTominay in midfield, his seventh consecutive start in 2024.
Out of all the attacking quality up front, it was the Brazilian defensive midfielder who handed Ten Hag the victory, saving United from playing extra time, which would have been the aim given the Manchester Derby is looming.
Throughout the tie, the 32-year-old was relatively composed on the ball, having a pass accuracy of 87% while only losing possession seven times. Casemiro combined well with Antony and Fernandes, in particular, in spells, with quick passages of play allowing him to have three strikes at goal.
However, there were still signs that suggest his athleticism, physicality, and ability to cover ground are all declining, with the midfielder losing 50% of his 12 duels and being dribbled past four times. That said, there was one player on the field whose performance may have gone slightly under the radar.
Andre Onana's performance against Forest
Andre Onana has received plenty of criticism this season – notably being targeted for the way he "makes the defence nervous", as per club legend Paul Scholes – but he is finally showing the Premier League why Ten Hag was so keen to sign him in the summer.
In truth, the Cameroon goalkeeper has almost been set up to fail, with the Red Devils conceding another 16 shots yesterday, their 116th across the last six games. Nevertheless, United still somehow walked away with a clean sheet last night, which was all down to the number 24.
The 27-year-old made pivotal saves in both halves, and the table below shows his key statistics from the tie, which prove United wouldn't have beat Forest without him in between the sticks.
Goals conceded
0
Saves
5
Saves inside the box
4
Clearances
1
Punches
1
Pass accuracy
82%
As can be seen in the table above, Onana made five saves in the tie, with 80% of them being from shots inside the box, which highlights how many opportunities the Tricky Trees were able to have in dangerous zones. His performance had similarities to the one during United's 2-1 win over Aston Villa recently, where the former Inter star prevented 1.56 goals, and without his saving ability, United could have conceded at least a couple of goals.
The experienced shot-stopper was also proactive, making one clearance and one punch while also having a pass accuracy of 82%, which allowed Ten Hag's side to remain in control, and that was particularly evident in the second half.
Overall, it was another impressive showing by Onana, who was handed an 8/10 match rating by the Manchester Evening News, and he should be thanked for his role in yesterday's victory. His confidence is increasing with each game, but he is set for a much busier time on Sunday at the Etihad.