Cooper is left livid Nottingham Forest weren't given a pen for Maguire handball

Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper is adamant that his side should have been awarded a penalty for a handball by Manchester United defender Harry Maguire.

Forest, who are in 18th place in the Premier League, suffered a 2-0 defeat at home to United, with Antony and Diogo Dalot scoring.

However, Cooper described the decision not to award a penalty against Maguire when the game was goalless as 'a really poor error'.

The Manchester United captain was involved in an incident in the 20th minute when a corner delivery into the box threatened to put the visitors under early pressure.

A VAR check for a penalty followed but Maguire escaped punishment despite the ball hitting his hand as he was judged to have his arm in a natural position while attempting to jump for a header. Maguire was already on a booking following an early challenge.

Cooper told Sky Sports: 'I think it’s a penalty, the Harry Maguire one. A really poor error. Why VAR haven’t seen that is not right. It’s another moment that will have big scrutiny and there’s been a lot of not positive decisions and that’s another.

'That’s not why we lost the game, it could have been a second yellow. I’m biting my tongue here, for me it’s a bad error. I get the referee but how Andy Madley hasn’t seen it really needs looking at.

'We tried Awoniyi against Maguire. We knew there would only be a few moments we could do it but they give you the space and I was disappointed we didn’t look after it. They do give you gap to play though. There’s not lack of effort.'

Cooper was disappointed that Forest didn't take anything from the game and stated that his team's passing wasn't slick enough in the first half.

He said: 'Points are the objective and the be all and end all and we have got nothing.

'Fine we’re playing Man United and at times we stuck to the plan, I just felt in the first half we didn’t take care of the first pass well enough. There were times where we turned over too quickly and you have to be able to do that at this level. You get punished in this league.'

Roy Keane also felt that United were lucky not to concede a penalty following Maguire's handball.

Keane said on Sky Sports: 'He probably deserves that luck. You would feel for him.

'They’re (United) all battling, if he gives the penalty you wouldn’t complain too much.

'He’s lucky. The keeper has to help him anyway'.