Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes paid a reluctant tribute to the ‘amazing’ Keylor Navas after the Nottingham Forest goalkeeper kept the score down during Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at the City Ground.
Believe it or not, Manchester United’s XG on the banks of the Trent was actually higher than Liverpool’s during that staggering seven-goal obliteration some six weeks ago.
And, if it wasn’t for Navas’ enduring brilliance between the sticks, perhaps Erik ten Hag’s side would have racked up a scoreline to rival that infamous 8-1 victory at the very same stadium.
Antony scored the opener before setting up Diogo Dalot’s first Premier League goal late on. And the eventual 2-0 victory does do a superb Man United performance justice; Navas rolling back the years to make a series of outstanding stops from Fernandes in particular.
Keylor Navas shines in Nottingham Forest defeat
“I just said to Keylor that today he only saved mine!” the Portugal international sighs (Sky Sports). “In the first half the one with the little deflection and the second half an amazing save.”
Navas finest moment in a virtuoso display came just after the interval. The Costa Rice veteran tipped a fierce Fernandes drive onto the crossbar following a well-worked corner routine.
“Navas has been brilliant for Forest,” Mancheseter United legend Gary Neville adds. “He’s had to be.”
With pressure rising on Steve Cooper, the nature of Forest’s performance will have done little to suggest that the famously trigger-happy Evangelos Marinakis should keep him in a job. Nottingham Forest failed to even muster a shot on target at home soil.
Manchester United, meanwhile, are now third; well-placed to secure Champions League qualification after Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United suffered defeats at the hands of AFC Bournemouth and Aston Villa on Saturday.
“The result is the most important for me,” Fernandes adds. “We want to get points because we want to be in the Champions League next season. We want to be in the top four this season, obviously.
“I want to get my goals, but first the team always comes first.”
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