Manchester United Predicted Lineup vs Nottingham Forest: Erik ten Hag ‘Doubtful’ Over Fitness of Two Vital Stars

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports
By Jack McArdle | Last updated 2/28/24

Manchester United travel to the City Ground to face Nuno Espirito Santo’s Nottingham Forest in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Wednesday, February 28. Kick off is at 7:45pm. Here is your Manchester United predicted lineup for what is realistically the last chance of silverware for the Red Devils this season.

Manchester United Predicted Lineup vs Nottingham Forest in FA Cup Clash

How Manchester United Have Lined-up Recently

Manchester United invariably deploy a 4-2-3-1 formation, with André Onana a permanent fixture in goal.

Diogo Dalot has made the right-back berth his own, with Raphael Varane and Harry Maguire Erik ten Hag’s preferred centre-back partnership in the absence of Lisandro Martinez. Luke Shaw has been the starting left-back of late, but came off at half time in the victories at Aston Villa and Luton and is now expected to be out for two months with a re-occuring muscle injury. Victor Lindelof has been deputising at left-back in his absence.

In midfield, Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo have been mainstays, with Christian Eriksen and Scott McTominay the rotation options.

Alejandro Garnacho has mostly held down the right wing recently, although played on the left at the weekend against Fulham as Marcus Rashford moved to the striker position in the absence of Rasmus Hojlund. Omari Forson came in on the right for his first start in the Red Devils first team. Captain Bruno Fernandes is ever present in the number 10 role.

Rasmus Hojlund has been Manchester United’s main striker throughout the season, but picked up a muscle injury that kept him out of Saturday’s defeat to Fulham and will see him remain out for another two to three weeks. Marcus Rashford deputised against Fulham, moving from his habitual left wing berth into the number nine role which he will expect to keep in the Dane’s absence.

Manchester United Recent Form and Tactics

Until last weekend, Manchester United had been on good form, picking up six wins and a draw in the seven matches following the defeat to Nottingham Forest on December 30. However, a desperately poor performance saw Ten Hag’s side limp to a 2-1 loss at home to Fulham on Saturday, Alex Iwobi’s 97th minute winner coming after United committed too many players forward in search of a winner following Maguire’s 89th minute equaliser at Old Trafford.

Despite positive results preceding the reverse to the Cottagers, there were concerns about the team’s ability to control games after surrendering leads in several recent encounters, notably Wolves and Newport County in the FA Cup. Indeed, Saturday’s defeat was another example of the chaotic nature of the Red Devils season, this time without a positive result to mask the tactical and structural deficiencies in the squad.

Whilst the team has suffered throughout the season with numerous injuries to key personnel such as Lisandro Martinez and Luke Shaw, both of whom play a vital role in ball progression that their deputies are unable to match. The loss at home to Marco Silva’s men once again put the lethargy and lack of cohesion within the squad under the spotlight as the reds turned in a meek display, further highlighting the lack of squad depth at the manager’s disposal.

Manchester United Injuries to Consider

Dutch left-back Tyrell Malacia has been out for the season with a knee injury and is still unavailable, along with Lisandro Martinez who is expected to be out until April at a minimum. Erik ten Hag provided some big updates in his press conference with MUTV, where he ruled out Harry Maguire and raised concerns over Bruno Fernandes and Raphael Varane’s fitness.

Mason Mount is still out with an unknown injury and it is unclear when he will return. Anthony Martial and Rasmus Hojlund are both out until early March, the former recovering from groin surgery and the latter carrying a muscle injury.

Casemiro is expected to be available after picking up a head injury in the home defeat to Fulham. Aaron Wan Bissaka has been recovering from injury but is not yet match fit, as a result, he will also be on the sidelines.

With the former Ajax boss extremely limited in team selection, he may opt to risk some of his stars or alternatively, entrust academy stars.