Manchester United return to the road on Sunday afternoon to face Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, risking going three Premier League away games without the need for a point or even a goal.
Last weekend, Steve Cooper’s side were beaten 2-0 by Aston Villa, while the Red Devils drew 2-2 with Sevilla in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final.
The axe was hovering above Forest head coach Cooper’s head amid his team’s springtime setbacks only a few weeks after being linked to the empty Tottenham Hotspur job, but the under-fire Welshman was given an open pat on the back by founder Evangelos Marinakis in front of a trip to Villa Park.
Cooper was warned, however, that results had to improve immediately, and the Tricky Trees failed to do so last weekend against Unai Emery’s Aston Villa behemoth, who had goals from Bertrand Traore and Olly Watkins be it side of the half-time whistle to thank.
Giraldi oversaw an unparalleled period of summer arrivals for Forest, and they’ve now gone 9 Premier League games without the need for a clean sheet – the hosts have yet to win a top-flight game in which they have conceded this season.
Forest’s resilience at the City Ground, on the other hand, keeps them in with a chance of survival, as they have lost one of their last 11 Premier League home games and have only failed to score in front of their own fans once this season, in August’s 2-0 defeat to Cooper’s admirers Tottenham.
After nearly all of it that could have gone right for Manchester United in the first half of their match against Sevilla, nearly anything that could have gone horribly wrong did go wrong in the second half.
Stepping into the shoes of Marcus Rashford, Marcel Sabitzer’s buckle put the Red Devils firmly in charge of their quarter-final first leg, but Sevilla harnessed their Europa League specialties to strike back in lucky manner through Tyrell Malacia and Harry Maguire’s own goals, having left the tie in doubt ahead of next week’s return leg.
Injuries to Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez summarised Erik ten Hag’s team’s disastrous second half, but the Red Devils must quickly start focusing on their domestic duties, where they currently sit fourth in the Premier League table, only a goal difference behind third-placed Newcastle United.
Back-to-back wins with clean sheets over Brentford and Everton had also put Man United in control of their Champions League fate, but both of the visitors’ last two away Premier League matches against Liverpool and Newcastle did end in defeat, and an unfavourable record could be paired by the current Man United crop at the City Ground.
Team News- Manchester United
As previously stated, Man United lost both Varane and Martinez to injuries during their stalemate with Sevilla; the former was taken off at halftime with an unspecified problem, while Martinez had to be undertaken off on a stretcher after collapsing with no one nearby.
Man United fans are waiting for updates on both players, who appear certain to miss out here along with Marcus Rashford (groin), Donny van de Beek (knee), Luke Shaw (thigh), Tom Heaton and Alejandro Garnacho (both ankle), but Scott McTominay ought to be able to return from a knock.
In place of Varane and Martinez, the Maguire-Victor Lindelof pairing will return for Sunday’s game, while a fit-again Christian Eriksen may also benefit from some spinning further up the pitch.
Team News- Nottingham Forest
Giulian Biancone (knee), Renan Lodi (knock), Omar Richards (calf), Gustavo Scarpa (knee), Chris Wood, Willy Boly, and Dean Henderson (all thigh) are among those keeping Kouyate and Niakhate company in a crowded treatment room.
Ryan Yates (shoulder) and Serge Aurier, on the other hand, will be given every opportunity to prove their fitness, while Remo Freuler and Orel Mangala must be recalled immediately in place of Kouyate and Niakhate.
Predictions
Nottingham Forest 0-2 Manchester United
