Ferguson felt that everything was within his control, but it was Nottingham Forest who scored a goal first.
Ten minutes after the game started, Nottingham Forest's formation slightly withdrew. Manchester United saw it as a sign that the Forest team gave up playing defensive counterattack in the front field. They began to press on their offensive and seize the initiative.
When they first pressed into the midfield, they encountered more resistance than they could have imagined. Nottingham Forest did not fully return to their half to lay out the defense in one shot. They no longer pressed up to the center line like they did in the first 10 minutes.
Cristiano Ronaldo's dribbling was caught in a converging attack by Rafinha and Agbonlahor. He had intended to force a breakthrough. When he looked up and caught a glimpse of George Wood standing not far away, he changed his mind at the last minute.
