Martin O'Neill, 73, makes brutal claim about Man United star

Martin O'Neill rubbed salt in the wound of Man United on Tuesday night with a brutal putdown during his post-match analysis of the Red Devils' 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest.

Anthony Elanga scored the only goal of the game to condemn his former club to their 13th defeat of the Premier League season.

O'Neill, a double European champion with Forest, was delighted to see his old club consolidate their place in third in the table as they bid to qualify for next year's Champions League.

When it came to analysing United, however, the former midfielder gave a withering assessment and singled out Patrick Dorgu for particularly harsh treatment.

The 20-year-old was playing just his seventh match for United since his £29.4million move from Lecce but that didn't spare him from O'Neill's wrath.

'They had Dorgu playing tonight,' O'Neill told TNT Sports.

'I could have done what he did! He's wide left-hand side, he's got the ball and you're saying: "Come on! Your job is to take players on. Get at them!"

'He's laid it inside three times in the first ten minutes of the second half... to the opposition!

'Maybe it's no confidence, I don't know what it is. But these type of things are all over the field for Manchester United.'

And while Forest ride high under manager Nuno Espirito Santo, O'Neill made clear that he believes there is a big difference in quality between that side and Ruben Amorim's Man United.

'They [Man United] have some really good players,' he added.

'Obviously, Bruno Fernandes is a top-quality player. But they haven't enough good players to be a threat in this league. And when I say a threat for Manchester United, I'm talking about getting into the top four.'