Manchester United are coming off a 0-0 draw against Sunderland.
The pressure is off, but the occasion still carries weight. Manchester United‘s final home game of the season arrives on Sunday with Champions League football already guaranteed and Michael Carrick’s case for the permanent job all but made. Eleven wins from sixteen games in charge, third in the table on 65 points, and a dressing room that looks like a functioning football club again. The only real blemish on the home record since January has been a 2-1 defeat to Leeds in April.
Nottingham Forest arrive in a very different mood. Vitor Pereira’s side are safe in 16th after a point against Newcastle last weekend, but the Europa League semi-final exit stings. A 4-0 second-leg hammering at Villa Park, having gone into the tie leading at 1-0, was as brutal as eliminations get, and Pereira made no attempt to hide his disappointment afterwards. What Forest do have is form: unbeaten in their last eight league games, with three consecutive away wins over Tottenham, Sunderland and Chelsea, scoring eleven goals and conceding just one across those three. The first meeting between these sides this season ended 2-2 at the City Ground in October.
Manchester United and Nottingham Forest Injury Updates
Matthijs de Ligt remains sidelined with his persistent back problem and has now missed the majority of the second half of the season. Benjamin Sesko is a doubt after picking up a knock at Sunderland, which is why Joshua Zirkzee is likely to retain his place up front. Lisandro Martinez is available after completing his three-match ban and could come straight back into the defence.
Manchester United vs. Nottingham Forest Predicted Lineups
Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Lammens; Mazraoui, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Cunha; Zirkzee
Nottingham Forest (4-2-3-1): Sels; Cunha, Milenkovic, Morato; Williams, Yates, Anderson, Netz; Hutchinson, Jesus, Wood
Prediction
Forest’s away form demands respect, and this will not be the walkover the table suggests. But United have scored in each of their last 13 home games, Fernandes is the best player in this fixture, and the emotional backdrop of a farewell afternoon for Casemiro gives Old Trafford an extra edge. And Carrick probably gets his send-off.
Prediction: Manchester United 2-1 Nottingham Forest