🏏 Sun, 17 May 2026 12:30 BST
Manchester United
vs
Nottingham Forest
4-2-3-1 vs 4-4-2
Substitutes
Substitutes
Match Preview
- A match where the two sides' situations differ greatly. 3rd-placed Manchester United (65 points from 36 games) trail leaders Arsenal (79 points) by 14 points but are closing in on Champions League qualification. Their last five read L-W-W-W-D, a draw following three straight wins, and they have delivered results against strong sides such as Liverpool (3-2) and Chelsea (0-1).
- 16th-placed Nottingham Forest (43 points from 36 games), meanwhile, face a critical juncture in their fight for Premier League survival. They are 5 points clear of 17th-placed Tottenham (38 points) and 7 points clear of 18th-placed West Ham (36 points), but with two games left their escape from the relegation zone is not yet secured. Their last five read D-W-W-W-D, two draws following three straight wins, showing their resilience when it matters.
- The first meeting this season, on Matchday 10 at Forest's home, ended in a 2-2 draw. That draw carried significance for both: Forest took points off a higher-placed side, while United dropped them. This time at Old Trafford it becomes a revenge match with the positions reversed.
- Tactically, the matchup between United's 4-2-3-1 and Forest's 4-4-2 is key. United's double pivot of Kobbie Mainoo (CMF) and Casemiro (CDM) pairs a young Englishman with a veteran ex-Real Madrid man. Forest counter with Argentina international Nicolas Dominguez (CM, a 2021 Copa America winner) and Morgan Gibbs-White (England's playmaker) looking to dominate the middle.
- United's attack is a spectacular lineup. Lone striker Bryan Mbeumo (RW, signed from Brentford for 71 million pounds) has a record of 20 goals, and the second line features Matheus Cunha (CF, the Brazil international signed from Wolves for 62.5 million pounds), Bruno Fernandes (captain) and Amad Diallo (RW, who arrived from Atalanta and was a top scorer at Sunderland) -- a luxurious cast.
- Forest's attack centres on the front two of Chris Wood (ST, 191cm, former New Zealand captain) and Igor Jesus (ST, a double winner of the Brazilian championship and Copa Libertadores with Botafogo, Brazil international). How the combination of Wood's height and Jesus's mobility can break down United's contrasting centre-back pairing of Harry Maguire (CB, 194cm) and Lisandro Martinez (CB, 175cm, "the butcher of Old Trafford") is one to watch.
- Forest's centre-backs Nikola Milenkovic (195cm, former Fiorentina captain, Serbia international) and Murillo (192cm, the left-footer signed from Benfica) bring height that serves as a counter to United's set-piece attack. On the other hand, watch how far the forward runs of full-backs Luca Netz (LB, signed January 2026) and Neco Williams (RB, ex-Liverpool, Wales international) can trouble United's flanks.
- Watch how the young duo of Omari Hutchinson (AM, ex-Chelsea, a 2025 U-21 European Championship winner) on Forest's right and Elliot Anderson (ex-Newcastle) on the left take on United's experienced defence. In particular, Hutchinson's left-footed cut-ins make for an intriguing battle of wits with Diogo Dalot (RB, Portugal international).