Steve Cooper felt Nottingham Forest threw away the chance of a rare away win after going down 3-2 at West Ham.
Goals from Taiwo Awoniyi and Anthony Elanga had put Forest into the lead after Lucas Paqueta fired the Hammers ahead in the third minute.
But late headers from Jarrod Bowen and Tomas Soucek, both from James Ward-Prowse corners, condemned the visitors to another defeat.
“I think if we’d drawn 2-2, I’d have been disappointed,” Forest boss Cooper said.
“I can’t look past the goals we’ve given away. We gifted them a goal at the start, worked our way back into it and then to concede a corner after five seconds from kick-off and defend like we did is frustrating.
“The third goal is from our throw-in, it’s a corner again and we didn’t do our jobs. Whether the ball coming in is brilliant or average, you’ve got the stay with your man.”
Forest have won just two matches on the road since they were promoted in 2022.
“We know we are doing a lot better things away from home but we’ve just thrown a result a way, and to lose it like we did, it was our own fault, I can’t look past that,” Cooper added.
“There was a real opportunity to come here to win and we were doing that. Today was a different away performance and loss.
“This is one we are going ‘We’ve just thrown it away’. This could have been a much more comfortable day and we’ve only got ourselves to blame.”
Ward-Prowse has now contributed nine assists in all competitions since joining West Ham from Southampton, yet an England call-up still eludes him.
“I’m quite pleased that he’ll get a rest this week, with the amount of games we’ve had,” Hammers boss David Moyes said with a smile.
“Let’s be fair, he is world class at his deliveries, and if I was him I’d be disappointed the other boys haven’t scored more from his deliveries.”
The Hammers won a topsy-turvy match to register their first Premier League victory since September.
“Yeah, I needed that. But so do all the clubs,” Moyes added.
“I was thrilled with the opening minutes, and with the end few minutes. But our play was too slow in the first half and we lost a goal before half-time as well.
“In the second half, after we went behind we played really well to get ourselves back in the game and to win it was tremendous. “
FC Dallas v Real Salt Lake: Estevez looking up ahead of RSL clash
FC Dallas coach Nico Estevez was more satisfied with the performance of his side as he looks ahead to a tough home game against Real Salt Lake.
Dallas head into Saturday’s match sitting 12th in the Western Conference, while RSL top the standings on 28 points.
A 1-1 draw with the Houston Dynamo in last week’s Texas derby followed on from a 2-1 win over Dallas’ other state rival, Austin FC, so they do at least head into the meeting with the West’s best team in some kind of form.
But Estevez, whose team overcame the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the U.S. Open cup in midweek, knows this is only the start.
Reflecting on the draw with the Dynamo, Estevez said: “We felt like we could win this game. We had one of the best first halves on the road this season. We just had a moment late in the first half after the water break where we dropped our level.
“Overall, the first 30 minutes were the best that we have played on the road combining good defensive work, good possessions and good plays. In the second half, we started a little bit slow but as the second half went on, we did a very good job creating chances and playing in their half, keeping the ball moving from one side to the other. The subs did a really good job coming in and provided the new energy that we needed. We wanted to win tonight, but we feel good about it.
“We need to recover really well, we need to rest. We want to improve every game.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
FC Dallas – Jesus Ferreira
Ferreira will have been disappointed to miss out on the United States’ Copa America squad, and will now be out to prove Gregg Berhalter wrong. He has scored seven goals in 10 career MLS matches against Real Salt Lake, his most against any opponent. No player has scored more goals for either side against the other in the history of the rivalry.
Real Salt Lake – Cristian Arango
Arango (six goals, five assists) has contributed to at least one goal in six straight away matches, the longest streak in MLS since the beginning of last season. Arango is the second player since the start of the 2006 season to record 11 goal contributions in a span of six away matches (Carlos Vela – 2019).
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW
RSL are unbeaten in 10 straight regular-season matches (W7 D3) for the fourth time in club history and the first since 2013-14 (16 straight). No team has had a longer unbeaten run in league play since Cincinnati went 11 straight without a loss in July-September 2022.
Dallas have won three straight home matches in all competitions for the first time since July-August 2022. Dallas had won only two of its previous 10 at home (D6 L2) prior to winning each of its last three at Toyota Stadium.
Dallas have lost only two of 24 all-time home matches against Salt Lake in all competitions (W16 D6). Dallas’ 2-1 home win over RSL last April, however, ended a five-match unbeaten run for RSL at Toyota Stadium (W1 D4).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Dallas – 36.5%
RSL – 35.9%
Draw – 27.6%
Fernandes: I want to be at Man Utd
Bruno Fernandes has reiterated his intent to stay at Manchester United amid speculation over his future.
Fernandes, who is set to captain United in the FA Cup final against Manchester City on Saturday, has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford.
Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are the European teams that have been credited with an interest in the 29-year-old.
However, Fernandes has no desire to leave.
"After this difficult season, it is my responsibility to give more. It starts with me. And it starts tomorrow. We have to give everything in this last match against City, and we have to move forward," Fernandes' told the Players Tribune.
"I love to step out at Old Trafford more than anything in the world. I don’t want to leave. This has always been my ultimate dream.
"I just want my expectations to fit with the expectations of the club. If you go talk to any fan, they will tell you the same thing. We want to compete for the league. We want to be playing Champions League football. We want to be in cup finals. That is the standard. That is what I want. That is what you all deserve.
"I just want to keep fighting. I want to be here. My family wants to be here."
Tchouameni to miss Champions League final, Euros place in doubt
Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni will miss the Champions League final due to a foot injury and could be a doubt for the Euros.
The 24-year-old, who has made 38 appearances across all competitions for the Spanish champions this season, has not played since he suffered a stress fracture during Madrid's Champions League semi-final win over Bayern Munich earlier this month.
Madrid play Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final at Wembley on June 1.
And ahead of Los Blancos' final LaLiga match of the season against Real Betis on Saturday, Ancelotti confirmed the former Monaco star's injury is relatively serious.
"He's doing individual work but he's not ready for the (Champions League) final," Ancelotti told reporters.
"Let's see if he's ready for the Euros."
France coach Didier Deschamps named Tchouameni in his 25-man squad for Euro 2024, which starts on June 14.
Meanwhile, for Madrid, Saturday's match is an opportunity for fans to bid farewell to Toni Kroos, who is retiring after Euro 2024.
The 34-year-old is one of Madrid's most successful players, winning the Champions League four times during his 10-year stint with the club.
Having also won the title once with Bayern Munich, the Germany international could become only the second player after Madrid great Paco Gento to win six European crowns.
"I don't think it was a difficult decision for him. Veteran players, legends, have to choose their destiny. Toni has made that decision and it must be respected," Ancelotti said.
"We have to say goodbye to him as best we can. I respect his decision. Saying goodbye like this would be ideal. Then you have to have the courage to do it and I have a lot of respect for what he has done.
"Replacing someone like this is almost impossible, but this squad has resources in young people so that they take responsibility and follow the path set over the last 10 years."
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