Nottingham Forest -v- Manchester United
Premier League
City Ground, Nottingham
Saturday 1st November 2025; KO 15:00 GMT
Manchester United travel to the City Ground to face Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday. With new manager Sean Dyche, Forest will have the ‘new manager bounce’ and United will need to be aware of that and just play how they have played against Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton.
United have three wins in three, scoring eight goals, conceding four in those three matches. Winning four matches in a row will be a big turn in form for United and Ruben Amorim and will give United a major confidence boost, which is a great thing at this stage of the season with United in contention again.
Forest sit in 18th place ahead of this weekend’s fixtures with United sitting in sixth place – which is a major improvement over the last month or so. United could propel themselves into the top four with similar results to the last three over the coming weeks, which would be great for the club and Amorim.
Manchester United Top Scorers & Assists
⚽️ 5 – Bryan Mbeumo, 2 – Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes, Harry Maguire, Benjamin Sesko, 1 – Matheus Cunha, Mason Mount
🅰️ 2 – Amad, 1 – Casemiro, Diogo Dalot, Patrick Dorgu, Bruno Fernandes, Ayden Heaven, Harry Maguire, Kobbie Mainoo, Bryan Mbeumo, Mason Mount, Benjamin Sesko, Luke Shaw, Leny Yoro
Forest Top Scorers & Assists
⚽️ 5 – Igor Jesus, 3 – Chris Wood, 2 – Dan Ndoye, 1 – Morgan Gibbs-White, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Neco Williams
🅰️ 3 – Morgan Gibbs-White, 1 – Elliot Anderson, Omari Hutchinson, Douglas Luiz, Dan Ndoye
Predicted Manchester United XI:
Lammens;
Yoro, De Ligt, Shaw;
Amad, Fernandes, Casemiro, Dorgu;
Mbeumo, Cunha;
Sesko
Predicted Forest XI:
Sels;
Savona, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams;
Luiz, Anderson;
Ndoye, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi;
Jesus
Goalkeeper: Senne Lammens
Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens should keep his place in the starting XI against Forest this weekend. He’s made three appearances for United this season and been the difference for the club in all three appearances. He has conceded three goals and has kept one clean sheet. That was a good start for him.
United needs a goalkeeper to command the back line, which is what the Belgian does and he does it well. United needs to kick on this season and with him on goal, it will give United supporters some hope after two dire seasons with Andre Onana in goal – what a terrible goalkeeper he has been for United.
Lammens deserves to be the United number one as he has stepped into the role as the goalkeeper very well despite knowing what he pressures will be at the club. He seems to just do what he does best, which is great to see. Hopefully, the Belgian will be likened to Peter Schmeichel, Edwin van der Sar and David De Gea.
Defence: Leny Yoro, Mathijs De Ligt, Luke Shaw
The United defence has found its feet this season. Leny Yoro has been a revelation since he signed, turning Real Madrid down for United. What a player he’s become and will be in the coming years for the Old Trafford club. Having him at United, at his youth, will be brilliant to see how good a player he becomes at United.
Mathijs De Ligt needs to be starting in the centre of the back three against Forest. United need to continue their winning run in the Premier League, which has propelled them into the top six with the busy period of the season set to start with United playing ten matches from this weekend until the end of 2025.
On the left side of the back three, Luke Shaw should keep his place with Harry Maguire likely to miss this match too and Lisandro Martinez back in training but not ready to start for the Old Trafford club. When all defenders are fully fit, United will have some great depth in these positions, which is great to see.
Midfield: Amad, Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro, Patrick Dorgu
The United midfield still requires some work and with the club identifying players to bring into the club, it looks more likely to happen in the summer rather than the January transfer window – but things can change. Amad and Patrick Dorgu should be starting in the wing back positions against Forest this weekend.
Both Amad and Dorgu have done well for United this season – both of whom having assists to their names with Amad on two and Dorgu on one. United have strength in depth in these positions too, which is a good thing. In the centre of the midfield, both Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro should start together again.
Both experienced players have been doing well for the club this season. Both players have two goals and one assist to their name this season, which after the start United have had to the season, is good for this stage of the season. Goals are starting to come from all over the pitch now, which is another good sign.
Attack: Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha
United top scorer Bryan Mbeumo should keep his place against Forest this weekend. He scored two goals against Brighton last weekend, having five goals and two assists to his name this season – which is great to see. The Cameroonian has been a revelation in the Premier League and is determined to remain that way.
New United striker Benjamin Sesko also needs to keep his place so he finds his feet in the Premier League as soon as possible. His two goals and one assist so far this season keeps him in second place, with others, in the top scorer charts for the club and he will be getting hungrier to score more goals at the club this season.
Matheus Cunha scored his first goal for the club against Brighton last weekend and will be eager to continue that run to get United well into the top six in the coming weeks. Cementing a place in the top four this season is what United needs and I believe with these players, it will be something this squad achieves.
Substitutes: Altay Bayindir; Diogo Dalot, Noussair Mazraoui, Ayden Heaven, Tyler Fredricson; Mason Mount, Manuel Ugarte, Kobbie Mainoo; Joshua Zirkzee
United will have nine players on the bench against Forest. Altay Bayindir will once again remain on the bench, which is where he belongs right now after having a good shot of becoming the number one goalkeeper and failing to make his mark in the position. It is likey he will leave in January or the summer.
In defence, despite Lisandro Martinez being back in training, he’s not going to be risked this weekend. Therefore, Diogo Dalot, Noussair Mazraoui, Ayden Heaven and Tyler Fredricson will be available. In midfield, Mason Mount, Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo will all have a chance to get on the pitch.
In attack, United have few options with just Joshua Zirkzee on the bench. That said, there are players on the bench who could play in attacking positions like Dalot and Mazraoui in the wing back positions and Mount and Mainoo playing in advanced attacking roles. United will be in good hands this weekend though.
Match Prediction
United will need to play like they did against Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton when they face Forest on Saturday afternoon. The Old Trafford club will be full of confidence ahead of the clash but will be wary of the new manager bounce Forest will have under Dyche. However, I think they will prevail once again.
United seems to have learned a lot this season and turned a corner with the last three matches. Amorim will need to continue to adapt to the Premier League, reviewing things on a match by match basis as the same systems will not bring the same results time and time again. There are major positives though.
United will continue to entrust Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha as the forward line as they have been brilliant in the last few matches, especially Mbeumo, who has been nominated for Player of the Month in the Premier League. United should prevail in this match but it won’t be easy for them.
Nottingham Forest 1-3 Manchester United
Written by Paul
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2025-10-31 17:30:00
