Erik ten Hag left the touchline at The City Ground with a feeling of satisfaction after his Manchester United team scored a last-gasp winner to defeat Nottingham Forest in the Emirates FA Cup.

Casemiro’s decisive goal, ensuring United won the fifth-round tie 1-0, came shortly before the 90-minute mark and just four days after the Reds were condemned to a disappointing Premier League defeat by Fulham in stoppage time.

On the late winner, Ten Hag said: “It’s the best time to score at the end. On Saturday, we felt defeat in stoppage time. Today, we scored just before the end of the time, so we scored at the right moment.”

On Casemiro’s display, he said: “Absolutely, [Casemiro is an example] by leadership and he’s a fantastic football player. I think he’s scored so many goals for us. He scored more goals than he’s ever done in his whole career, for United, so that is great to have a player like Casemiro in the squad and in the team.

“Because you see how important he is for us when he is not there, like in October, November, December and January. We really missed him because he sets the structure in the team, his leadership, it makes us play better. Also, the quality he has on the ball, of course.”

On facing Liverpool in the quarters, he said: “Now we have Liverpool at home, it’s a fantastic draw, we are looking forward [to it]. But we have to bury the cup, and first we are looking forward to the league, and the first game is always the most important. It’s a good game, [against Man] City, and we are looking forward to that.”