Manchester United and Nottingham Forest will face off at Old Trafford on Saturday in a match featuring two teams who have had similar starts to the Premier League season.
The Red Devils had a challenging week, with a 2-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur followed by the announcement of Mason Greenwood’s departure after a long absence from football.
To build on their 1-0 home win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the opening weekend, they must not let off-field distractions affect their performance.
Erik ten Hag’s team must stabilize their form to avoid falling behind Arsenal and Manchester City early in the season. Old Trafford provides an ideal setting for a fresh start.
Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest have had a tough time at Old Trafford recently, losing both competitive visits last season by significant margins and failing to score. Despite making numerous signings since their promotion to the Premier League, Forest are having a rather mixed start to the season.
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While they showed their fighting spirit in a 2-1 loss to Arsenal, their recent victory over Sheffield United has boosted their confidence. However, United’s home record, featuring a 30-game unbeaten streak, throws a tough challenge for Forest.
Manchester United vs. Nottingham Forest: Head-to-head
In their previous encounters:
Manchester United victories: 52 games
Draws: 24 games
Nottingham Forest victories: 33 games
United have won their last six competitive meetings with Forest at Old Trafford, with a combined score of 19-2.
Although Raphael Varane is the only United player to score in the Premier League this season, this match presents an opportunity for Ten Hag’s attackers to find the net.
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Forest, despite their recent win, had a poor away record in the Premier League last season, winning only one game out of 19. In their four competitive encounters in the 2022-23 season, Forest lost to Man United by a total score of 10-0.
However, Forest have found the net in their last five top-flight away games, which may provide some encouragement as they aim to defeat United for the first time in this century.
Manchester United vs. Nottingham Forest: Team News
United will miss Mason Mount due to an injury sustained against Spurs. Christian Eriksen is expected to step in as his replacement.
ℹ️ The latest on Erik's squad ahead of #MUNNFO ⤵️#MUFC || #PL
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 23, 2023
Harry Maguire is back in contention after recovering from a minor injury. Rasmus Hojlund may make his debut, likely as a substitute.
Meanwhile, Forest doesn’t have any new injury issues, but they are without Ola Aina, who is sidelined with an injury from training and won’t be available until the end of the month. Gonzalo Montiel, a new loan signing, might make his debut.
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Manchester United vs. Nottingham Forest: Predicted line-ups
Manchester United (4-2-3-1): David de Gea; Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw; Casemiro, Christian Eriksen; Antony, Bruno Fernandes, Jadon Sancho; Marcus Rashford.
Nottingham Forest (3-4-3): Mattu Turner; Joe Worrall, Willy Boly, Scott McKenna; Serge Aurier, Danilo, Orel Mangala, Neco Williams; Brennan Johnson, Morgan Gibbs-White, Taiwo Awoniyi.
Our Final Scoreline: Manchester United 2-1 Nottingham Forest
We expect a closely contested match, with United securing a narrow victory despite their recent goal-scoring issues.
The Red Devils are under pressure to deliver a strong performance in front of their supporters, and they have the talent to achieve this against Nottingham Forest.
However, whether they will succeed is uncertain. Ten Hag has the flexibility to make tactical adjustments, possibly bringing Jadon Sancho back in a “false nine” position, and this could help the club achieve victory.
