Manchester United got their first glimpse of perfect attack even without Rasmus Hojlund

It was far from perfect but Manchester United got the result, if not the performance, they needed against Nottingham Forest.

Erik ten Hag's side showed the necessary gumption and ruthless finishing to dispatch the ten-man visitors at Old Trafford. After a nightmare start, they recovered, regrouped, and got what they needed.

Once again, there will be plenty of scrutiny about the balance of the United team in midfield. Defensively, they were wide open in transition and Forest could've had far more than the two goals they mustered.

The return of Christian Eriksen did little to plug the holes around Casemiro. The display provided more questions than answers from a defensive viewpoint.

Want to join our MUFC Pro club for a totally ad-free version of the MEN's dedicated Manchester United FC app packed with premium features? Click here .

READ MORE: Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag drops transfer hint ahead of deadline day

However, looking at the positives, Manchester United looked far better in attack. They were more fluent, with square pegs in exactly the right holes.

Marcus Rashford has cut a dejected figure in the opening weeks of the season, asked to play out of position. It was essential he was moved away from the centre and back to the left against Forest.

He vindicated that decision with two telling contributions - the driving run past Serge Aurier to set up Eriksen for 2-1 and the similarly-direct drive into the box which tempted Danilo into a clumsy challenge.

Whilst Anthony Martial has plenty of flaws, his return gave United's attack a much more natural balance which was missing against Wolves and Tottenham. That makes the prospect of Rasmus Hojlund's return even more exciting for supporters.

Ten Hag said