Nottingham Forest vs Manchester United

On Tuesday evening, the City Ground will host an exciting Premier League clash between Champions League aspirants Nottingham Forest and Manchester United, who are trying to win back-to-back league games for the first time this season.

Forest are third in the Premier League rankings, six points ahead of fifth-placed Manchester City, while Manchester United are 13th, an unbelievable 17 points behind their opponents in this match.

In years past, the thought that Nottingham Forest would be favorites versus Manchester United could have been dismissed as a horrible April Fool's joke, but that is exactly the predicament we find ourselves in on April 1st this year.

Forest secured 17th place in the 2019-2020 Premier League season which required them to narrowly survive relegation then which means few expected them to occupy a third-place ranking this point in the season.

The Reds delivered an incredible performance this season after accumulating 54 points through their 29 matches which includes 16 wins and 6 draws and 7 defeats to position themselves in third place with six points ahead of fifth-placed Manchester City in the fight for Champions League qualification.

European champion status exists twice in Forest's history alongside upcoming European competition potentials at the City Ground while Nuno Espirito Santo and his team need major advancements to secure Premier League position before the season ends.

The Reds achieved a 4-2 victory against Ipswich Town during their March 15 league matchup before advancing to FA Cup semi-finals by winning in penalty shootouts versus Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

Forest completed their first league double against Man United since 1991-92 by defeating them 3-2 at Old Trafford during December.

The Wolverhampton team has maintained an undefeated streak with six wins and two draws during home Premier League matches from the last eight games which demonstrates Man United faces a daunting challenge in their upcoming Tuesday night match.

The unexpected challenge facing Manchester United is to win consecutive Premier League matches following their 3-0 victory against Leicester during international break.

With Champions League qualification out of reach via the Premier League this season, the Europa League now represents United’s best chance to secure a spot in Europe’s elite competition for 2025-26.

It’s been a challenging campaign for the 20-time English champions, but back-to-back strong performances have provided a much-needed boost. Since their mid-February defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, the team has remained unbeaten in regular time.

While the Europa League takes priority at this stage, United—fresh from an extended break—should be well-rested as they aim for a positive result. Despite sitting 13th in the table, Ruben Amorim’s side will look to build momentum.

Their recent Premier League record against Nottingham Forest has been poor, losing the last two meetings—including a 2-1 defeat at the City Ground last season. However, they did secure a 1-0 FA Cup win at the same venue in 2023-24, offering some hope for redemption.