Nottingham Forest 1-8 Manchester United: Solskjær’s Historic Haul
City Ground, February 6, 1999
Manchester United recorded the biggest away win in Premier League history at the time with a stunning 8-1 victory over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. Ole Gunnar Solskjær stole the show, coming off the bench to score four goals in the final 12 minutes, setting a record for the most goals scored by a substitute in a single Premier League match.
First Half – A Frenetic Start
The game started at a blistering pace, with United taking the lead inside two minutes. Dwight Yorke turned in Paul Scholes’ cross after a David Beckham corner had been missed by everyone in the penalty area. However, Forest responded quickly, equalizing just four minutes later through Alan Rogers after a neat exchange with Jean-Claude Darcheville.
United immediately restored their lead as Andy Cole latched onto Jaap Stam’s long ball, rounded Dave Beasant, and finished from a tight angle despite Jon Olav Hjelde’s attempts to clear. Despite Forest showing some attacking intent, United remained in control, and they extended their lead early in the second half.
Second Half – Solskjær’s Unforgettable Cameo
Cole and Yorke each grabbed another goal, capitalizing on poor defending to put United 4-1 up by the 67th minute. With the game seemingly won, Yorke was substituted for Solskjær in the 72nd minute, with first-team coach Jimmy Ryan instructing him simply to “keep the ball.” The Norwegian had other ideas.
In the 80th minute, Beckham found Gary Neville overlapping on the right, and Neville’s cross was met by Solskjær, who finished from close range. Eight minutes later, Solskjær broke the offside trap to meet a Beckham through-ball, and although his first attempt was stopped by Beasant, he made no mistake with the rebound.
Scholes then set up Solskjær for his hat-trick with a no-look pass inside the area, and deep into stoppage time, Nicky Butt squared for the Norwegian to score his fourth, capping off an extraordinary performance and sealing an 8-1 victory.
Match Details:
Date: February 6, 1999
Venue: City Ground, Nottingham
Attendance: 30,025
Referee: Paul Alcock (Kent)
Goals:
Nottingham Forest: Rogers (6′)
Manchester United: Yorke (2′, 67′), Cole (7′, 50′), Solskjær (80′, 88′, 90+1′, 90+4′)
Nottingham Forest XI: Beasant, Harkes, Armstrong (Mattsson 57′), Hjelde, Rogers, Stone, Palmer, Johnson, Gemmill (Porfírio 74′), van Hooijdonk, Darcheville (Freedman 26′).
Manchester United XI: Schmeichel, G. Neville, Johnsen, Stam, P. Neville, Beckham, Scholes, Keane (Curtis 72′), Blomqvist (Butt 86′), Yorke (Solskjær 72′), Cole.
Yellow Cards: P. Neville (81′), Keane (37′)
Post-Match Reactions & Aftermath
Forest manager Ron Atkinson caused controversy by calling the defeat a “nine-goal thriller,” a remark that infuriated many Forest fans. He later joked that his wife woke him the next morning by 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, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League, completing a historic treble. Meanwhile, Forest’s relegation was confirmed on April 24 after a 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa, with Atkinson resigning from management soon after. The club finished bottom of the league and did not return to the top flight until 2022.
