admin Manchester United will look to get back on track by hosting Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford on Saturday.
The 2023/24 Premier League season continues on Saturday with the third game week.
The day’s events begin with the game between Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest at lunchtime. The action continues after this game when Manchester United take on Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford.
Manchester United were hoping that Erik ten Haga would start the 2023/24 season well after a good start.
So far, however, they have not looked convincing and were lucky enough to take home three points in the season’s opening game against Wolverhampton Wanderers. The balance returned to normal when they beat Tottenham 2-0 last week.
On the other hand, Nottingham Forest could have been more convincing than their previous hosts. Tricky Trees gave their all and lost 2-1 to Arsenal in the first leg. However, Steve Cooper’s side bounced back from last week’s strong home performance and defeated Sheffield United 2-1 at the City Ground.
Manchester United and Nottingham Forest met four times last season and Cooper’s side failed to score once. Meanwhile, the Red Devils won 3-0, 3-0, 2-0 and 2-0. Ahead of the last meeting between the two teams, The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter.
Manchester United's Luke Shaw is expected to miss an extended period after picking up a muscular injury, per @David_Ornstein pic.twitter.com/K8M0MxPDWd
— B/R Football (@brfootball) August 24, 2023
Erik ten Hag is struggling with two new injury concerns that are hampering his preparation for his side’s final game.
The Manchester United manager will sack up to six first-team players in Saturday’s game against Nottingham Forest.
Mason Mount (hamstring injury) and Luke Shaw (muscle injury) are Manchester United’s latest absentees. Joining the English duo on the bench were Tom Heaton (calf), Tyrell Malacia (knee), Kobbie Mainoo (ankle) and Amad Diallo (knee).
However, Harry Maguire (rebound) and Rasmus Hojlund (retirement) could be available and fit enough to be part of the matchday squad.
Meanwhile, the absence of Shaw and Malacia means Ten Hags will need to find a makeshift left-back this weekend. Alvaro Fernandez is a born left-back for Manchester United.
However, the youngster is unlikely to feature as Diogo Dalot risks falling down the left wing. The Portugal international will join the defense of Lisandro Martinez, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Raphael Varane and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
In midfield, Mount’s absence gives Christian Eriksen and Scott McTominay chances for the next six weeks. And the first should restart the collaboration with Casemiro in a double turnover.
Bruno Fernandes should reprise the no. 10 role and will have more freedom to express himself in Mount’s absence. The Manchester United captain will likely join Antony, Jadon Sancho, and Marcus Rashford in the final third. And Sancho will come into the starting eleven in place of the underperforming Alejandro Garnacho to reprise the “false nine” role.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Martinez, Dalot; Casemiro, Eriksen; Antony, Bruno Fernandes, Rashford; Sancho
Nottingham Forest
Unlike his counterpart in the Manchester United dugout, Steve Cooper does not have many issues to deal with ahead of the trip to Old Trafford. The Nottingham Forest manager will be without four first-team players on Saturday.
Ola Aina (groin) is the most notable absentee for Nottingham Forest. But he has resumed light training and should be available next week. But Wayne Hennessey (knee), Omar Richards (leg), and Felipe (knee) will be on the sidelines until next month. Meanwhile, Cooper has a new signing in his squad, with Gonzalo Montiel arriving from Sevilla. But the World Cup winner will unlikely start on Saturday.
Matt Turner has done well since joining Nottingham Forest from Arsenal earlier this summer. And the USMNT international will look to give a good account of himself against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Officially a Red ✍️ pic.twitter.com/mNtvzKIQke
— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) August 23, 2023
Nottingham Forest will line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation in front of Turner. The central defensive unit should feature Willy Boly, Joe Worrall, and Scott McKenna. The trio will remain compact to shut out the passing lanes, receiving defensive support from the wing-backs.
Speaking of the wide duo, Serge Aurier and Neco Williams will have the freedom to express themselves during transitions. The duo will be the primary source of chance-creation from the flanks. And they will flank Danilo and Ryan Yates in the middle of the park.
Brennan Johnson, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Taiwo Awoniyi are the shining lights for Nottingham Forest. And the trio will look to wreak havoc in the final third, with Awoniyi eager to continue his hot scoring streak this weekend.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Turner; Boly, Worrall, McKenna; Aurier, Danilo, Yates, Williams; Johnson, Gibbs-White; Awoniyi
Key Stats
- Manchester United have won their last 10 games against Nottingham Forest in all competitions, including all four meetings last season by an aggregate score of 10-0. The Tricky Trees have registered one victory in 12 Premier League meetings with the Red Devils, drawing two and losing nine.
- Manchester United have won seven successive home Premier League matches, their best run since they won eight in a row between May and November 2017. In addition, Erik ten Hag’s side have gone 30 games without defeat at Old Trafford, winning 26 and drawing four.
- Nottingham Forest have won four of their last eight Premier League games (D2 L2), one more than they managed in their previous 17 top-flight matches. But Steve Cooper’s side have recorded just one victory in 20 Premier League away games, drawing five and losing 14.
- Only Bournemouth (43) have faced more shots than Manchester United (40) in the 2023/24 Premier League season thus far.
- Taiwo Awoniyi has registered eight goals in his last six league games and can become the first player to score in Nottingham Forest’s opening three top-flight matches of a season since Peter Davenport in 1984/85.
Player to Watch
Marcus Rashford
It was not long ago that Marcus Rashford was scoring goals for fun. But his form started withering away towards the end of last season. And he has been sub-par in the first two matches of the new campaign. Meanwhile, numbers do not make for a good reading for the Englishman.
Rashford has found the back of the net only five times in his last 20 games for Manchester United, and he is yet to score this season. So it is high time the 25-year-old stepped up and donned the talismanic hat again. With Manchester United desperately lacking goals, the academy graduate needs to find his scoring boots again.
Prediction
Manchester United 2-1 Nottingham Forest
Manchester United will be hurting after a dreadful defensive performance in the second half against Tottenham. And Erik ten Hag would have given his charges a dressing down after the defeat last weekend. So we can expect the Red Devils to produce a much better showing, albeit one that will still not be entirely convincing. Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest will give the hosts a run for their money.
The Tricky Trees have found the back of the net in their last nine Premier League fixtures, scoring 17 goals. And with Manchester United showing poor signs at the back, Nottingham Forest should be in business. However, despite giving a tough fight, the visitors should suffer another away loss, with an improved Marcus Rashford guiding the home side to a narrow 2-1 victory.
