WATCH LIVE : Manchester United VS Notingham Forest (Premier League)

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Manchester United are aiming to return to winning ways after suffering a 2-0 defeat to Spurs last time out. Ten Hag’s team – like against Wolves – were far from at their best, though they might have been in with a chance of getting something from the game had Lisandro Martínez not turned into his own net late on.

Not that United did not create opportunities. They accumulated 2.1 xG to Spurs’ 1.7, having 22 shots to their hosts’ 17 and creating four big chances, but Ten Hag will be looking for improvement – especially in defence – given how open his side has looked at times.

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Forest, meanwhile, took their first points of the season by overcoming Sheffield United 2-1 thanks to Chris Wood’s last-gasp header. Taiwo Awoniyi netted the opener for Steve Cooper’s team – he has now bagged in his last six Premier League appearances for Forest, scoring eight times, equalling Stan Collymore’s club record in the competition between March and April 1995.

Having scored in Forest’s first two Premier League matches this season, Awoniyi is also looking to become the first Forest player to score in their first three top-flight matches in a season since Peter Davenport in 1984-85.

Manchester United, who are 12th in the league table as we enter Matchday 3, two places behind Forest, are nevertheless firm favourites.

Old Trafford has been something of a fortress for United under Ten Hag. After losing two of the Dutchman’s first four home games in charge across all competitions (W2), the Red Devils are unbeaten in their last 30 home games on home turf (W26 D4). It is their longest home unbeaten run since a 40-game stretch between September 2016 and December 2017. Ten Hag has never had a longer such streak in his managerial career – although he did go 30 home games without defeat between October 2018 and February 2019, over spells at Utrecht and Ajax.

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United’s last home league defeat came in August last year (19 games), while Nottingham Forest lost on the road – albeit to Arsenal – in their only other away game this season. Indeed, Forest have not won on the road in the league in 11 matches.

Since the start of last season, Nottingham Forest have won just one of 20 Premier League games played away from the City Ground (D5 L14), with their 14 away defeats the most of any current top-flight side in that time. The only managers with fewer wins than Cooper’s one win in their first 20 away Premier League matches are Howard Wilkinson in 1992-93 and John Gorman in 1993-94 (zero).

Manchester United vs Nottingham Forest Head-to-Head

Manchester United’s record against Nottingham Forest is strong – they won all four meetings last season (including two in the EFL Cup semi-finals) without conceding a single goal. Marcus Rashford and Antony Martial scored in two of those four meetings.

They also won their previous six encounters before 2022-23, making it 10 victories in a row for Man United against Nottingham Forest heading into this match.

Forest’s sole win in their last 12 Premier League meetings with United came at Old Trafford back in November 1994 – Stuart Pearce and Stan Collymore grabbed the goals on that occasion.

MANCHESTER UNITED LINEUP

Onana, Varane, Diogo Dalot, Wan-Bissaka, Martínez, Eriksen, Bruno Fernandes, Rashford, Antony, Casemiro, Martial

NOTTINGHAM  NOTTINGHAM LINEUP

Turner, McKenna, Worrall, Boly, Aurier, Yates, Danilo, Aina, Johnson, Gibbs-White, Awoniyi

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