Manchester United and Nottingham Forest will lock horns on Wednesday 28 March 2024 in an appealing FA Cup fifth-round clash.
The Red Devils will be seeking to progress to the quarterfinals of the competition in a bid to strengthen their chances of lifting the coveted title.
The last time Manchester United won the FA Cup trophy was in 2016 when they defeated Crystal Palace 2-1 at the Wembley Stadium.
In that match, Manchester United’s goals came courtesy of Juan Mata, and Jesse Lingard, who are no longer playing for the iconic club while Jason Puncheon found the back of the net for Crystal Palace in that memorable match.
The Erik Ten Hag-coached side now travel to the City Ground on the back of a 2-1 defeat to Fulham in the Premier League.
The Dutch tactician will not want to witness another disappointing performance from his charges since the FA Cup is the only major title that Manchester United can potentially win this season.
Similar to the Red Devils, Nottingham Forest also had an awful weekend thanks to a 4-2 thrashing at the hands of Aston Villa on Saturday.
However, the Garibaldis are expected to prepare for the important clash with their heads held high since they recently beat Manchester United 2-1 in a league encounter.
Here are some key details you need to know ahead of the game.
What time does Nottingham Forest vs Manchester United start?
The match is scheduled to start at 10:45 pm Kenyan time on Wednesday at the City Ground Stadium.
Nottingham Forest vs Manchester United Team News
Manchester United will be without a number of crucial players in the must-win match. The absentees include Tyrell Malacia (knee), Rasmus Hojlund (muscle), Anthony Martial (groin), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (unspecified), Mason Mount (calf) and Lisandro Martinez (knee).
Brazilian midfielder Casemiro may also be unavailable on Wednesday since he was taken off in last weekend’s clash after picking up a head injury.
However, should the experienced player not be ready to play at the City Ground, Ten Hag has Moroccan international Sofyan Amrabat and Scott McTominay who can fill the void left by Casemiro.
On the other hand, the hosts are expected to be without the African trio of Willy Boly, Ola Aina and Ibrahim Sangare due to injury-related reasons.
Former Arsenal defender Nuno Tavares and Chris Wood are also currently on the treatment table.
Possible Starting Lineups
Nottingham Forest: Sels, Niakhate, Felipe, Murillo, Montiel, Dominguez, Danilo, Hudson-Odoi Elanga, Gibbs-White, Origi
Manchester United: Onana, Lindelof, Varane, Evans, Dalot, Mainoo, McTominay, Fernandes, Forson, Garnacho, Rashford
Nottingham Forest vs Manchester United Head-to-head
Nottingham Forest and Manchester United have played each other 14 times since 1994 with the Red Devils picking up 10 wins. Two of those matches ended in a draw with Forest winning the other two.
Nottingham Forest: 2
Draws: 2
Manchester United: 10
Nottingham Forest vs Manchester United Current Form
Nottingham Forest: DDLWL
Manchester United: WWWWL
Nottingham Forest vs Manchester United Predictions
Although Nottingham Forest are currently facing a difficult spell, they will do everything they can to progress to the next round of the tournament.
Moreover, the side which is under the management of Nuno Espirito Santo overcame Manchester United in the most recent meeting between the two clubs and hence they will fancy their chances.
However, Manchester United will not allow the hosts to do to them what they did in December, adding even more spice to the encounter.
Quick facts on Nottingham Forest vs Manchester United
How many times has Nottingham Forest beaten Manchester United?
Nottingham Forest and Manchester United played 12 Games since 1995. Among them, Nottingham Forest won 1 game (Total Goals 7, PPG 0.6), Manchester United won 10 (Total Goals 39, PPG 3.3), and drew 1.
How many times have Nottingham Forest won the FA Cup?
Forest have won 11 major honours during their history – one league title, two FA Cups, four League Cups, one FA Charity Shield, two European Cup/UEFA Champions Leagues and one UEFA Super Cup.
When was the last time Nottingham Forest won a trophy?
Nottingham Forest last won a trophy on 29 April 1990.
How many FA Cups have Manchester United won?
Manchester United have won the FA Cup on 12 occasions – a feat bettered only by Arsenal’s 14 triumphs – and have appeared in the final 21 times in total.