Gio Reyna made another cameo to continue his frustrating loan spell with Forest, but Matt Turner put in a strong shift in a loss to Manchester United.
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Reyna benched againSix saves for TurnerForest fall 1-0GettyWHAT HAPPENED?
Wednesday's 1-0 FA Cup defeat to United was a tense affair from the beginning, with both sides having a few good chances to take the lead. On the Forest side, USMNT star Turner prevented several of those chances from turning into goals, making two good first-half stops to help his team set a tone.
That tone was that they'd be hard to beat, and that's exactly what happened. United struggled for large stretches, with a predictable attack failing to break down Forest's resolute defense.
The breakthrough did come, though, with just minutes to spare. Forest failed to deal with Bruno Fernandes' free kick, with Callum Hudson-Odoi clearly out of position. That left Casemiro with an open header from close range in the 89th minute, sealing the win and a spot in the next round of the FA Cup.
AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
With the loss, Forest will now turn their attention strictly towards the Premier League. As things stand, Forest sit 17th in the league and find themselves in a real relegation fight at the bottom of the table. Forest currently have 24 points after 26 games, four-more than 18th-place Luton Town for that third and final relegation spot, but Luton have a game in hand that could see them close the gap.
GettyUSMNT IMPACT
What's Reyna going to have to do to get some run? Having barely played in the Premier League, it felt like the FA Cup was a perfect place to give the American a proper chance. It didn't happen. Instead, he was thrown into the fray right after the United goal and given just a few short minutes to do anything with Forest chasing the result.
it was yet another sign of just how bad this loan move has gone. Reyna has found minutes even harder to come by at Forest than he did at Dortmund, making this loan essentially useless thus far. Unless something changes quickly, Reyna may not get even close to enough playing time this season as Forest rely on the tried and true in an attempt to avoid relegation.
As for Turner, the USMNT No. 1 put in a strong shift, making some big saves. It likely won't be enough for him to earn back his starting job but it was a good sign that, despite losing his place, his confidence is still there.
GettyGOAL'S RATINGS
Matt Turner (8/10):
Could do nothing about the goal, but was just about perfect otherwise. Made six saves ranging from the routine to the wonderful. A big message to the critics that he can perform at this type of level.
Gio Reyna (N/A):
Had just three touches after coming on. Really, what's the point of this loan?
