Anthony Elanga scored against his former club Manchester United and Bruno Fernandes previously predicted that the Nottingham Forest winger would have a long-term future at Old Trafford
Anthony Elanga came back to haunt Manchester United as his winning goal pushed Nottingham Forest closer to Champions League qualification. The 22-year-old winger collected the ball in his half and sprinted 85 metres in nine seconds to score the game’s only goal in the fifth minute at the City Ground.
The victory puts Forest nine points ahead of fifth-placed Manchester City ahead of tonight’s games. Elanga has been a crucial player for Nuno Espirito Santo’s successful side, contributing six goals and eight assists in 30 league appearances.
The United academy graduate joined Forest for £15million in 2023, relishing the opportunity to play more regularly. While his goal was a reminder of what Elanga could add to the United squad, one player did not need convincing. Bruno Fernandes shared his prediction about the winger shortly before Elanga’s debut for United, declaring: “I think he has a future with us.”
Elanga made his first team bow as a 19-year-old under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in May 2021. The teenager had spent the season on the periphery of the first team squad and his talent clearly caught Fernandes’ attention, who spoke glowingly about Elanga in the build-up to his first start against Leicester City.
“He is impressing everyone because he is a really nice kid,’ Fernandes told United’s club website. “Quiet, works hard. He is really good on the ball, plays with both feet.
“So he has a future. If he puts his head focused on what he has to do and what he can achieve, I think he has a future with us.”
Fernandes was vindicated after Elanga began making a regular impact under interim boss Ralf Rangnick during the following season. Having had to wait for his chance, Elanga made the most of his next league start against Aston Villa in January 2022.
“I said it last season already, Anthony is a kid that works hard and is prepared to be in the team, prepared to play,’ Fernandes told MUTV, as reported by Metro. “He’s being a top kid, waiting for his moment, training really hard and he deserved the chance that he got today. He was, for me, one of the best on the pitch. He gave everything.”
With new manager Erik ten Hag bringing in Antony for £86m on the right flank, while still having Jadon Sancho as a wide option, Elanga featured 26 times during his final season at Old Trafford, but the writing was on the wall. Upon Elanga completing his move to Forest, Fernandes wrote on Instagram, “All the best kid @AnthonyElanga,” with a red heart emoji.
On Tuesday, Elanga finished one of Forest’s few chances and further highlighted United’s blunted attack. Although Ruben Amorim does not play with conventional wingers, Elanga’s solo run displayed a decisiveness that has often been lacking in this United side, who sit 20 points behind Forest in 13th.
It is not the first time Elanga has impacted his former side either. In the same fixture last season, he supplied the assist for Morgan Gibbs-White’s winning goal in the 82nd minute. As he chases European football with Forest, Elanga has no regrets about leaving United to develop his game.
“I made the right decision, 100 per cent,” he told the Athletic in December. “ I have not really spoken about this, but at the time at United, I was very young and I was coming into a team that was struggling.
“Yes, there was the thought that, ‘I am playing for Manchester United.’ But I also never felt as though I was improving.
“I have no regrets, because I am enjoying playing fantastic football with this team,” Elanga adeed, “We are in a really good place at the moment. It [United] is the biggest club in the world and there will always be pressure; always be eyes on you.
“He [Ruben Amorim] hit the nail on the head when he said they are a massive club, but not a massive team. That will take time. But I am sure they will have the quality to get back to that level.”