Ola Aina shines as Nottingham Forest stun Man United at Old Trafford

Nigeria’s Super Eagles defender Ola Aina played a full 90 minutes on Saturday, helping Nottingham Forest secure a remarkable 3-2 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Coming off a 3-0 loss to Manchester City in their previous outing, Forest arrived at the Theatre of Dreams determined to make amends, and they did so in emphatic fashion.

The victory not only added three vital points to their tally but also showcased the resilience and quality of Nuno Espírito Santo’s side.

Five-goal thriller

Forest got off to a dream start as Nikola Milenković found the net just two minutes into the match, silencing the home crowd.

However, Manchester United responded swiftly with Rasmus Højlund’s equaliser in the 18th minute, leveling the game before halftime.

The second half began much like the first, with Forest striking early.

Morgan Gibbs-White restored the visitors’ lead in the 47th minute, making it 2-1.

This time, Forest extended their advantage instead of conceding. Chris Wood capitalised on a defensive lapse to make it 3-1 in the 54th minute.

Though Bruno Fernandes pulled one back for the Red Devils in the 61st minute, United’s efforts to salvage the game fell short.

Forest held on to a crucial away win, which lifted them to fifth place on the Premier League table with 25 points from 15 matches, just behind a struggling Manchester City.

This is the first time Forest are winning league games at Anfield and Old Trafford in the same season in their history.

Ola Aina’s stellar form

Aina came into Saturday’s game buzzing with confidence after scooping Nottingham Forest’s Player of the Month and Goal of the Month awards for November.

The full-back enjoyed a standout month, highlighted by his stunning goal against West Ham United.

Aina also played a key role in helping Forest keep two clean sheets during November, with his dynamic performances on both flanks earning widespread praise.

Against Manchester United, Aina once again proved instrumental, using his pace and defensive acumen to thwart several attacking threats from the Red Devils.

Other results

Elsewhere in the Premier League, Manchester City were held to a 2-2 draw at Crystal Palace.

Despite Rico Lewis’s spectacular strike, City had to settle for a point and ended the match with 10 men after Lewis received a second yellow card late on.

City’s Erling Haaland ended his goal drought with a first-half equaliser to cancel out Daniel Muñoz’s opener.

Palace regained the lead shortly after halftime through Maxence Lacroix, but Lewis’ stunning goal in the 68th minute salvaged a draw for Pep Guardiola’s side.

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Meanwhile, Brentford delivered another high-scoring performance at home, defeating Newcastle United 4-2.

Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa found the net for the Bees, continuing their strong form.

At Villa Park, Jhon Durán’s first-half strike was enough to secure a 1-0 victory for Aston Villa over struggling Southampton, who remain rooted to the bottom of the table.

Sunday fixtures

The action continues on Sunday, with two tantalising London derbies on the cards. Fulham will host Arsenal, while Tottenham take on Chelsea in what promises to be an intense battle in the capital.

Nigeria’s Wilfred Ndidi will also be seeking a bright outing against Brighton at King Power Stadium on Sunday while Ipswich will be slugging it out against AFC Bournemouth in the other Sunday fixture.