Nottingham Forest – Manchester United
Who would have thought a few months ago that Nottingham Forest would be in third place in the table while Manchester United would be in 13th place? The two teams face each other at The City Ground, and the signs are clear: Forest are only four points behind leaders Arsenal, while the Red Devils are already 17 points behind the hosts. A win could also give Forest an eight-point lead over fourth-placed Chelsea – something the fans at The City Ground have not seen in a long time.
Nottingham Forest – Manchester United Info
- Stadium: The City Ground, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
- Date and Time: 01.04.2025, 21:00
- Competition: Premier League
Nottingham Forest Form & Record Check
Forest are riding a wave of form at the moment. Five games without defeat, including two crucial Premier League victories over Manchester City and Ipswich, have lifted Nuno Espírito Santo’s side to third in the table. They have also shown considerable composure in the FA Cup, beating Brighton on penalties at the weekend after a goalless draw in 120 minutes. They achieved the same feat against Ipswich at the end of February, which is another clear sign of the team’s mental strength.
Their defensive record is particularly noteworthy: in their last five games, Forest have kept clean sheets in the first half, and 80% of the matches have ended with under 2.5 goals. This compact style of play is the hallmark of Nuno. However, the loss of Chris Wood, who suffered a hip injury in the World Cup qualifier, could well hurt in attack.
Nuno Espírito Santo is expected to stick with a 4-2-3-1 formation. Sels will be in goal, with Aina, Milenković, Murillo and Williams making up the back four. Yates and Anderson are likely to start in midfield, with Domínguez, Gibbs-White and Danilo providing creativity in attack. Up front, Awoniyi is likely to remain the first choice.
It is unclear whether Hudson-Odoi and Elanga will again only come on as substitutes. Furthermore, Chris Wood’s hip injury could thwart Nuno’s plans, as his time off is not yet known. In addition, Carlos Miguel and Eric da Silva Moreira are missing through injury and will not be available to the coach for the final stretch of the season.
Manchester United Form & Record Check
Manchester United are in a state of transition under manager Ruben Amorim. The 13th place and the 37 points collected so far are sobering, but at least the team has not lost in five games and is only two points behind Crystal Palace. The latest 3-0 win over Leicester is encouraging: Bruno Fernandes shone with a goal and two assists, Højlund and Garnacho also scored.
Nevertheless, the situation remains tense. United were unlucky to lose to Fulham on penalties in the FA Cup, and the Red Devils have conceded in four of their last five games. Furthermore, players like Marcus Rashford, Casemiro and Antony could be sold in the summer, according to media reports. The contract wrangling with Kobbie Mainoo has been going on for a year – not an easy situation for the team to move up.
Coach Ruben Amorim has recently favored a 3-4-2-1 system at Manchester United. Onana is likely to start in goal, while de Ligt, Lindelöf and Dorgu form the back three. Dalot and Mazraoui are earmarked for the wings, with Ugarte and Fernandes in central midfield to provide the necessary stability. Offensively, Eriksen and Garnacho could push forward into the spaces in front of striker Højlund.
However, the list of injuries is long. Kobbie Mainoo is out, as are Lisandro Martínez, Leny Yoro and Luke Shaw. Amad Diallo is still recovering from an ankle injury. Amorim may therefore have to call on reserve players like Mount more often to fill the gaps in the squad.
Nottingham Forest – Manchester United head to head & statistics
In the last five direct duels between Nottingham Forest and Manchester United, there was a decision every time – there was no draw. Forest won twice, United three times, and in all games at least two goals were scored. Particularly striking: Manchester scored at least once in the second half in every game, while Forest conceded at least one goal in every game.
Nottingham won the most recent meeting in December 2024 3-2, after United had previously won a FA Cup tie 1-0. Four of the last five meetings have seen at least three goals, which again suggests that this will be a high-scoring clash.
