Manchester United’s season has lurched further into turmoil with a 3-1 loss to Brighton in the Premier League on the day Old Trafford honoured their late, great ‘King’ Denis Law .
Tottenham’s troubled campaign also hit new depths on Sunday with a 3-2 loss at relegation-fighting Everton, but Nottingham Forest’s unlikely title challenge goes from strength to strength after a 3-2 win against last-placed Southampton.
At Old Trafford, the wonderful striker Law, who died this week aged 84, was the subject of emotional tributes, led by former boss Alex Ferguson, before the match.
But United then couldn’t conjure up any of Law’s old competitive spirit as goals from Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh, Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter consigned Ruben Amorim’s men to a 10th defeat in the league.
That’s the earliest into a league campaign they’ve hit 10 in losses since 1989-90 under Ferguson.
Bruno Fernandes scored for United from the penalty spot but a seventh defeat in 15 games overall under their new head coach Amorim highlighted the massive job the Portuguese has on his hands to revive the record 20-time English champions.
United are now 13th in the table after their defeat, with Spurs two places below them in the 20-strong league, a perilous position for a club which had been expecting to be involved in another push for Champions League qualification.
Instead, it’s Forest who are shooting for the stars after a fine win over the Saints featuring goals from Elliot Anderson and Callum Hudson-Odoi, before Chris Wood nodded in his 14th of the season.
Forest are now third, behind Arsenal only on goal difference, with Liverpool still leading the way six points ahead of their pursuers with a game in hand.
Goal-shy Everton embarrassed injury-hit Spurs with their first Premier League goals since Boxing Day in a one-sided opening 45 minutes, leading 3-0 at the break which is something they had not achieved at Goodison for almost eight years.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin, with his first in 17 matches, and Iliman Ndiaye both scored before the unfortunate Archie Gray turned the ball into his own net for the third.
Dejan Kulusevki scored with 13 minutes remaining and Richarlison grabbed another back in stoppage time but the late fightback couldn’t disguise the comprehensive nature of Spurs’ defeat with Australian boss Ange Postecoglou increasingly under pressure.
With agencies
https://thewest.com.au/sport/soccer/more-woe-for-united-and-spurs-as-forest-boost-title-bid-c-17440890
