Nottingham Forest Set to Battle Manchester United: Key Matchup Preview, Bold Predictions, and Expected Starting XIs
Manchester United, riding high on recent form, have the opportunity to temporarily climb into the Premier League's top two positions with a win against Nottingham Forest this Saturday.
The Red Devils are buzzing with newfound confidence under Ruben Amorim after securing consecutive victories over Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton & Hove Albion. Despite a nervy finish against the Seagulls last weekend, United secured an impressive 4–2 triumph thanks to their revitalized attacking unit.
United's excellent run has propelled them to sixth place in the Premier League standings—sitting above both Liverpool and Chelsea—though Amorim will be cautioning against overconfidence considering his team's history versus Forest.
Amorim suffered defeats in both encounters with Forest last campaign and now faces Sean Dyche on the touchline, who is expected to emphasize a cautious tactical setup against the Red Devils.
The ex-Burnley and Everton boss has taken charge of only two fixtures with the Midlands club, starting with a 2–0 triumph over Porto in the Europa League before suffering a loss at Bournemouth by an identical margin. Forest, already on their third manager this season, continue to be an unpredictable force.
Here is Sports Illustrated's comprehensive preview of this pivotal encounter.
What Time Does Nottingham Forest vs. Man Utd Kick Off?
Nottingham Forest vs. Man Utd Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
Current Form (All Competitions)
Nottingham Forest | Man Utd |
|---|---|
Bournemouth 2–0 Nottingham Forest - 26/10/25 | Man Utd 4–2 Brighton - 25/10/25 |
Nottingham Forest 2–0 Porto - 23/10/25 | Liverpool 1–2 Man Utd - 19/10/25 |
Nottingham Forest 0–3 Chelsea - 18/10/25 | Man Utd 2–0 Sunderland - 04/10/25 |
Newcastle 2–0 Nottingham Forest - 05/10/25 | Brentford 3–1 Man Utd - 27/09/25 |
Nottingham Forest 2–3 Midtjylland - 02/10/25 | Man Utd 2–1 Chelsea - 20/09/25 |
How to Watch Nottingham Forest vs. Man Utd on TV, Live Stream
Country | TV channel/live stream |
|---|---|
United States | fuboTV, Peacock, Amazon Prime Video, UNIVERSO |
United Kingdom | Not televised - audio coverage available on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Nottingham, BBC Radio Manchester and talkSPORT |
Canada | DAZN, Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Fubo Sports Network |
Mexico | Caliente TV, Amazon Prime Video |
Nottingham Forest Team News
Forest must persist without their previous campaign's leading goalscorer Chris Wood, who remains sidelined with a knee problem. Dyche has the option of selecting either Igor Jesus or Taiwo Awoniyi as alternatives for the New Zealand striker.
Oleksandr Zinchenko and Ola Aina are unavailable in the fullback positions, while reserve keeper Angus Gunn and summer addition Dilane Bakwa are also ruled out through fitness issues.
Forest enjoyed a free midweek schedule which should assist Dyche in fielding a fresh XI for United's visit, and he might deploy the same lineup that lost at the Vitality Stadium as he seeks to build some stability.
Nottingham Forest Predicted Lineup vs. Man Utd
Nottingham Forest predicted lineup vs. Man Utd (4-2-3-1): Sels; Savona, Milenković, Murillo, Williams; Luiz, Anderson; Ndoye, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus.
Man Utd Team News
United boast a nearly perfect fitness record heading into Saturday's encounter, with long-term casualty Lisandro Martínez even rejoining first-team preparations. The defender has been absent since February following an ACL rupture and represents a welcome presence at Carrington, though Amorim has stated he won't be ready for the Forest fixture.
United's sole remaining fitness worry also involves their backline, with Anfield hero Harry Maguire questionable for the match. Amorim expressed uncertainty about whether the England defender will participate at the City Ground.
However, Amorim is unlikely to alter his selection from the side that defeated Brighton, with the impressive Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha spearheading the offense alongside Benjamin Šeško. Casemiro, who netted and provided an assist last weekend, will join Bruno Fernandes in the engine room, with an unchanged defensive quintet starting in front of Senne Lammens.
Man Utd Predicted Lineup vs. Nottingham Forest
Man Utd predicted lineup vs. Nottingham Forest (3-4-2-1): Lammens; Yoro, De Ligt, Shaw; Amad, Casemiro, Fernandes, Dalot; Mbeumo, Cunha; Šeško.
Nottingham Forest vs. Man Utd Score Prediction
United have reversed their trajectory quite rapidly in recent matches and while it's unclear whether their improvement represents a temporary boost or sustainable progress, confidence will be at peak levels for Saturday afternoon's journey to the Midlands.
The Red Devils are functioning smoothly in attack as their summer acquisitions deliver meaningful contributions, and Forest's vulnerable defense will struggle to contain Mbeumo, Cunha and Šeško, particularly with Fernandes orchestrating from a withdrawn role.
Nevertheless, Forest possess home field advantage and will recognize that United have managed only one shutout this campaign, demonstrating their ongoing defensive frailties evident in the Brighton encounter's closing stages. Dyche's squad should find the net at minimum.
Prediction: Nottingham Forest 1–2 Man Utd