Man Utd vs Nottingham Forest Preview: Team News & Prediction
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Ruben Amorim tasted defeat for the first time as Manchester United manager in midweek as they were beaten by Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. They will look to bounce back by a Nottingham Forest side that suffered a loss in Manchester just the other day.
Kick-off date/time: Saturday 7th December, 2024: UK – 5:30pm / US ET – 12:30pm / US PT – 9:30am
How to watch on TV: UK – Sky Sports / US – NBC
How to watch online: UK – Sky Go / US – Peacock & Universo
Man Utd Preview: Bouncing back
As mentioned, Manchester United suffered defeat in midweek for the first time in the Ruben Amorim era as Arsenal defeated them by two goals to nil at the Emirates Stadium. The result was fair but came after an aerial and set-piece bombardment from the Gunners with defenders Jurrien Timber and William Saliba both scoring from corners.
The Red Devils had started the Amorim era steadily with two victories and a draw. Following on from their 1-1 draw against Ipswich Town, they came from behind to defeat Bodo/Glimt in a topsy turvy clash before then hammering a struggling Everton side at Old Trafford with much-needed goals coming from Marcus Rashford and Joshua Zirkzee in that match.
Nottingham Forest Preview: Back in Manchester
Former Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Nuno Espirito Santo is enjoying a Premier League career revival with Nottingham Forest this season as they try and push for a possible top seven or eight finish and potential UEFA competition qualification, such has been how impressive the opening few months of the campaign has been.
The visitors have suffered three defeats in their last four matches, albeit will point to the fact that two of those defeats came at the Emirates Stadium and the Etihad Stadium. The latter of which came in midweek as Manchester City ended their seven-match winless run of form across all competitions thanks to goals from Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku.
Man Utd Team News: Martinez & Mainoo return
The key boost for Ruben Amorim ahead of this weekend would be that both Lisandro Martinez and Kobbie Mainoo have returned from their one-match suspensions served against Arsenal and both are expected to come back into the starting eleven.
Luke Shaw has suffered a 'small setback' and is sidelined alongside Jonny Evans, as Amorim looks likely to rotate once again with Marcus Rashford expected to start again after scoring three goals in his first four games of the Amorim era.
Predicted XI (3-4-3): Onana; Mazraoui, De Ligt, Martinez; Diallo, Mainoo, Casemiro, Dalot; Fernandes, Zirkzee, Rashford
Unavailable: Evans (Injured), Shaw (Injured)
Questionable: Lindelof (Injured)
Nottingham Forest Team News: The quartet back together
In his pre-match press conference ahead of travelling back to Manchester this weekend, Nuno Espirito Santo confirmed that Nottingham Forest were still assessing a couple of issues in the aftermath of their defeat to City.
He didn't disclose which players have issues but, as for the eleven, there is a sound argument to expect Callum Hudson-Odoi to come back into the side ahead of Jota Silva to complete what has been a potent and entertaining attacking quartet for Forest so far this season.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Moreno; Yates, Dominguez; Jota Silva, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood
Unavailable: Danilo (Injured), Sangare (Injured)
Questionable:
Man Utd vs Nottingham Forest Prediction
Manchester United’s only clean sheet in four matches of the Ruben Amorim era came against an Everton side that scored over 25% of their season’s goals in a single game the other night, such has been their struggles in front of goals. That leakiness at the back is to be expected as they try and get to grips with the Amorim way of things. Forest will really fancy their chances on the counter-attack so, whilst United remain favourites with their home advantage, it may well be fairly fun for the neutral to watch.
Man Utd vs Nottingham Forest Tip: Man Utd to win & both teams to score
