Manchester United endured a frustrating evening as they dominated Nottingham Forest but failed to find the back of the net, despite launching over 22 attempts on goal. The primary culprit of their wastefulness appeared to be Joshua Zirkzee, who came under heavy criticism after squandering several clear-cut chances. Reports suggest the young striker missed approximately six golden opportunities, leading to visible frustration from manager Ruben Amorim. In a telling moment, cameras captured Amorim openly berating Zirkzee on the touchline, his patience seemingly worn thin by the striker’s inability to convert his chances—even when presented with an open goal on multiple occasions.
The match had started in disastrous fashion for United, as they found themselves trailing within the first five minutes. Former United academy graduate Anthony Elanga provided a moment of brilliance for Forest, breaking away from the defense to score a superb solo goal that left the traveling United supporters stunned. Despite that early setback, United quickly took control of the game, with Diogo Dalot coming agonizingly close to equalizing when his powerful header rattled the crossbar. Meanwhile, Bruno Fernandes worked tirelessly in midfield, orchestrating play and creating opportunities, but United’s inability to finish their chances overshadowed everything else.
Zirkzee, entrusted with leading the line, endured a nightmare performance in front of goal. The Dutch forward found himself in promising positions time and again but failed to make them count. One of his most glaring misses saw him direct a shot straight at Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels from point-blank range, squandering a golden opportunity to level the score. Another woeful attempt saw him send a header wide despite being unmarked just six yards from goal. His repeated misfires led to a storm of criticism online, with social media users on X (formerly Twitter) expressing their outrage. One particularly viral post summed up the fans’ frustrations, reading, “22 shots, six sitters, and Zirkzee can’t hit the target—Amorim’s got every right to lose it.”
As the match wore on, Amorim’s irritation became increasingly evident. The Portuguese manager, known for his tactical acumen and attacking philosophy, had placed his trust in Zirkzee to spearhead the team’s offense, only to be let down by a night of woeful finishing. With United’s dominance yielding no rewards, the match served as a painful reminder that control and creativity mean little without clinical execution in front of goal. Ultimately, Nottingham Forest’s resolute defense and Elanga’s early strike proved enough to secure a hard-fought victory, leaving United to rue their missed chances.
