Man United vs Nottingham Forest Lineups
Manchester United must build momentum after Thursday’s defeat to Chelsea, and a win over Nottingham Forest will help them open a gap in the top-four race. Erik Ten Hag will have several players who will need rest, but he should be able to compensate for the absences with strong substitutions.
United Lineup
Manchester United are looking to bounce back after a midweek defeat by Aston Villa, and they will take on relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest at City Ground this weekend. Steve Cooper’s side is struggling to find any form of consistency, and they have lost three of their last four games in the Premier League. They were swept aside 2-0 by the Villans in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final, and Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez picked up injuries that could see them miss the rest of the season.
Despite these setbacks, manager Erik Ten Hag will look to put the disappointment behind him as United go for third place. He will need a win on the road to keep his side in touch with the top four, and he has plenty of options ahead of him.
United is likely to start with David de Gea in goal, with the Spaniard hoping to move closer to Nick Pope in the Golden Glove race as he looks to secure his 14th clean sheet of the season. Aaron Wan-Bissaka will continue to play right-back, while Tyrell Malacia will likely be dropped to the bench after a dismal performance in midweek.
The Red Devils have been unable to score in two of their last three away Premier League games and will need a big performance against Forest to get anything from this game. They will be without Luke Shaw and could also drop Victor Lindelof to the bench, while Harry Maguire will have a chance to show his fitness after being injured in midweek.
Forest have lost their last four games in all competitions and are rooted to the bottom of the Premier League, but they will be facing United with a host of injury concerns. Loanee Dean Henderson will not feature, while Moussa Niakhate, Cheikhou Kouyate, and Willy Boly are all out. And Serge Aurier, Renan Lodi, and Ryan Yates are all fighting to be fit.
United should be able to find a way through Forest’s defensive line, with Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof looking capable of taking on the center-back role. David De Gea will have a chance to extend his career-best goalkeeping record and keep the Red Devils in control.
Forest Lineup
Manchester United are in a good run of form, but they could face a tough challenge when they take on Nottingham Forest on Sunday. Steve Cooper’s side is without a win in nine games, and they have fallen to the relegation zone, so it will be a tough match for United.
Despite a midweek draw against Sevilla, Man United remain fourth in the table and are currently on a run of four straight wins. However, a defeat against Forest could see them fall out of the top four for the first time this season as Everton move closer to the top spot.
The Red Devils are without Marcus Rashford, Raphael Varane, and Lisandro Martinez after they suffered injuries in the 2-2 draw against Sevilla. Erik ten Hag will have to make some changes as the boss prepares for what promises to be a challenging game against Forest.
A blistering start from United, who launched an attack inside the forest penalty area on the right. Victor Lindelof strides away from goal to set up a move that ends with Jadon Sancho powering a shot well over the crossbar from a promising position.
Antony wins a corner on the right, then curls a dipping shot wide of the far post from a similar range. A few minutes later, he again wins United a corner, this time on the left, before Harry Maguire’s header from the ensuing delivery is blocked on the line by Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
United has been indebted to Keylor Navas for some outstanding saves during this period. He has produced some incredible agility in front of goal to keep out a volley from Bruno Fernandes and also saved a tame long-range shot from Anthony Martial.
Forest have lost seven of their last eight league matches (D1 L5) and are in danger of losing a sixth in a row after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Wolves on Tuesday night. Their relegation battle continues with just eight games to go, and it is clear that their summer signings have not yet worked.
Steve Cooper has a tough task with United in town, but he hopes his side can pick up a crucial win and put their Europa League quarter-final tie with Sevilla behind them. United have won their last three matches against Forest, including a 2-1 victory in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg at Old Trafford in November.
United Subs
Manchester United are looking to put their Europa League draw with Sevilla behind them and return to the top four when they take on Nottingham Forest in the Premier League at the City Ground this weekend. The Red Devils have already beaten the Nottingham side three times this season, most recently in both legs of the Carabao Cup semi-final.
With several players missing due to injury, Erik ten Hag has made some changes from the side that drew with Sevilla midweek. David De Gea starts between the sticks, while Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof return to the starting lineup after missing the midweek match. Lisandro Martinez is still out for the season, while Raphael Varane has picked up a knock and will not start today.
Casemiro is back from suspension to start midfield, with Marcel Sabitzer and Bruno Fernandes keeping their places after scoring against Sevilla. Marcus Rashford and Wout Weghorst miss out as Jadon Sancho and Diogo Dalot return from injury, but Anthony Martial, who was excellent against Sevilla, will lead the line in attack.
Alejandro Garnacho was a standout player on the night, netting his seventh FA Youth Cup goal as United secured a 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest in front of over 60,000 fans at Old Trafford. He was involved in the game’s first goal when he drove into the box, cut onto his right foot, and then deflected his shot past keeper Aaron Bott.
Then in the 89th minute, he beat the offside trap and slid a pass to Solskjaer, who took it around Beasant and fired home a second from two yards out. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s hat trick set a record for the most goals scored by a substitute in a Premier League match and put United within striking distance of winning the title.
Watch Manchester United vs. Nottingham Forest live online with Fubo TV, Sling TV, or the NBC Sports app. You can also follow the match on Twitter using #LiveUnited and @ManUtdFC.
Forest Subs
United have a chance to build on their impressive win over Everton this week and take advantage of Newcastle’s defeat at Spurs on Saturday. However, they will face a tough test against a Nottingham Forest side currently in freefall.
Steve Cooper’s team hasn’t won since the start of February and sits in 19th place, with eight games left to play in the campaign. They have conceded 23 goals in their last five Premier League matches and will be looking to get something out of the game against a United side that hasn’t won on the road this season.
The forest still needs some goals after their recent wretched run of form but should be well-equipped to handle the challenge against the Red Devils. They will look to attack from the off and have scored nine times in their past four home games in the top flight.
They will also need to be careful against a United defense yet to register a clean sheet this season. Manchester United have lost three of their last four away games in the Premier League and has a goal difference of -12 on the road this season.
The Red Devils will likely change their team following Thursday’s 2-2 draw with Sevilla at Old Trafford. They will likely bring Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire back to the starting lineup. At the same time, Marcus Rashford and Raphael Varane are expected to be missing due to their groin injuries.
It is a tough match for United, especially with the injuries they have picked up in recent weeks, but if they can find a way to beat Forest, they will move into sixth. They are currently just one point behind Tottenham with a game in hand.
Liverpool could be without a few players, but they are still in decent shape. The midfield pair of Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah should be available, but Jurgen Klopp will likely make a few tweaks to his squad before the game.
