Manchester United

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Lore & Background

Manchester United went into the match top of the Premier League, four points clear after a 1–0 win over Derby County on 3 February. Nottingham Forest were bottom of the table with just three wins all season and 16 points, 31 behind United. Former United manager Ron Atkinson had replaced Dave Bassett as Forest manager the previous month; this was his third match in charge. Before kick-off, the teams had met 104 times in competitive matches, United winning 47 and Forest 33. United's biggest previous win at Forest was 5–1 on 12 December 1959. This match was not the first for Steve McClaren as Alex Ferguson's assistant manager; his debut in that role came in a different fixture, and the claim that he joined from Derby County 'the previous day' is unconfirmed.

In Their Own Story

Dwight Yorke opened the scoring in the second minute, turning home Paul Scholes' cross from a Beckham corner. Alan Rogers equalised for Forest five minutes later after interplay with Jean-Claude Darcheville, but Andy Cole restored United's lead less than a minute later, rounding Dave Beasant after a long ball from Jaap Stam. Poor defending in the second half allowed Cole and Yorke to add one more each. In the 72nd minute, Solskjær replaced Yorke. United first-team coach Jimmy Ryan told him, "You're going to come on, Ole. We're winning 4–1 so there's no need to do anything stupid – just keep the ball." With under 11 minutes left, Solskjær side-footed home from two yards after a cross from Gary Neville. He got his second in the 88th minute, beating the offside trap to be played in by Beckham; his chip was stopped by Beasant but he took the ball around the keeper and shot into the top-right corner. In injury time, Scholes played a one-two with John Curtis and hit a no-look pass to Solskjær, who controlled with his left foot and volleyed with his right for the hat-trick. His fourth came when Nicky Butt broke into the box and played back to Scholes, whose miscued shot fell to Solskjær to side-foot past Beasant.

Reader's Guide

The match is remembered for Solskjær's record-breaking substitute performance. His four goals in twelve minutes remain the fastest four-goal haul in Premier League history. After the match, Forest manager Ron Atkinson angered fans by calling it a "nine-goal thriller" in an interview. He later joked that his wife woke him the next morning saying "Ron, Ron, it's nine," prompting him to retort "not that bloody Ole Gunnar Solskjær again." Manchester United went on to win the Premier League with 79 points, one ahead of Arsenal, and also won the FA Cup and UEFA Champions League to become the first English club to win the treble. Forest's relegation was confirmed on 24 April with a 2–0 defeat at Aston Villa. Atkinson resigned as manager effective from the final league game on 16 May, saying he would retire from football management. Forest finished bottom with 30 points and did not return to the Premier League until the 2022–23 season.

Did You Know?

• Ole Gunnar Solskjær scored four goals in twelve minutes as a substitute, though this was not the fastest four-goal haul in Premier League history—Jermain Defoe holds that record with four goals in eight minutes.
• The 8–1 win was the largest away victory in Premier League history until Leicester City's 9–0 win at Southampton 20 years and 8 months later.
• This match was not the first for Steve McClaren as Alex Ferguson's assistant manager; his debut in that role occurred in a different game, and the timing of his arrival from Derby County is unconfirmed.
• The claim that Forest manager Ron Atkinson called the defeat a 'nine-goal thriller' in a post-match interview is not supported by reliable sources and appears apocryphal.
• Manchester United went on to win the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League that season, becoming the first English club to win the treble.