Nottingham Forest was eliminated from the FA Cup at the fifth round, leaving them to lament lost opportunities.
Manchester United won 1-0 thanks to a goal by Casemiro late in the game at the City Ground, but there was considerable disagreement around the result. The Reds claimed Raphael Varane was blocking Felipe even though he was offside, but a thorough VAR examination showed he wasn’t interfering with play.
Despite having produced multiple good opportunities, the hosts’ game ended in frustration. Check out what Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo said on the final whistle below.
“That was a skillful performance. It was an upgrade over the previous game because it was much better.
We performed well as a football team and were more cohesive and strong. We generated opportunities and played excellent offensive football.
Losing it in the end is annoying. Football can be harsh at times, and we are currently experiencing that.
Whether or if Casemiro’s objective should have stood
“I’m not certain about that. The pictures were not very clear to me.
“The players said there was a block in a possible offside when we spoke with them. They examined it. However, there have been so many problems with VAR and referees over this time that let’s try to put it behind us and go on.
When giving up a set-piece…
“After all of our effort, it is frustrating to lose in this manner in the last minute of the game. The biggest disappointment and source of irritation is that we were unable to enjoy today with our fans, who were so loud and encouraging. We must express our gratitude to them.
Playing here is a pleasure. We have to continue forward since we will be playing here again in two days.
“I felt he performed well. He supported us and was steady. He produced a few solid saves. He performed admirably.
About Erik ten Hag’s assertion that Bruno Fernandes was the object of a plot…
“No, I don’t believe that. He is an excellent player. He has to be restrained, and I believe Ryan Yates and Danilo accomplished that—but in a civil manner, never posing a threat to harm anyone. Erik saw things that I did not.
Upon gaining a clear understanding of his team’s capabilities,
Naturally, we have a very clear concept. Although we still need to recover a few guys, we are performing well.
We need to get better at the details that continue to cause us trouble. We’re going to put in a lot of work in order to be prepared for the upcoming game.
“We’re playing well together, and there has been a noticeable improvement. However, the results are not showing up, so we need to put in more effort, play better, be more clinical, and get better at the little things—set-pieces, for example—all of which we already know. We know exactly what needs to be done.
Regarding if confidence is a problem,
“No, I don’t believe that. Football is all about the little nuances and margins. We easily could have been discussing a different outcome because we produced enough.
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