Preview: Manchester United vs. Nottingham Forest – team news, lineups, prediction, live stream

Man United were back in competitive action on Wednesday evening, recording a 2-0 victory over Championship leaders Burnley at Old Trafford to progress to the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup.

The Red Devils have two league games before the end of the year, with their next fixture coming away to Wolverhampton Wanderers on December 31, and they will then open 2023 at home to Bournemouth.

Man United have only lost once in the Premier League since the start of October, and there have certainly been plenty of positive signs this season under the management of Erik ten Hag.

The Red Devils will be taking on Forest for the first time since their 8-1 victory over them during the 1998-99 Premier League campaign, while the Reds have not beaten Man United since December 1994.

Forest have now only lost one of their last five league games, including a 1-0 victory over Liverpool on October 22, and they are currently 18th in the table, boasting 13 points from their opening 15 matches.

Forest have the worst away record in the Premier League this season, picking up just two points from seven matches, conceding 19 times and scoring only once, which is an indication of the size of their task heading into Tuesday’s game with Ten Hag’s team.

Man United will again definitely be without the services of Axel Tuanzebe through injury, while Diogo Dalot remains a major doubt with the issue that he picked up in Portugal’s World Cup quarter-final with Morocco.

The Red Devils have problems in the middle of their defence, with Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane both major doubts following their involvement in the World Cup final, while Harry Maguire is unwell.

Maguire could recover to line up alongside Victor Lindelof in the middle of the defence, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka could play just his second league game of the campaign at right-back.

Jadon Sancho, though, remains a major doubt, as he continues to undergo a personal fitness programme.

As for Forest, Dean Henderson is ineligible against his parent club, while Serge Aurier, Gibbs-White and Wayne Hennessey face late fitness tests.

Omar Richards, Giulian Biancone, Cheikhou Kouyate and Moussa Niakhate will definitely be unavailable for selection at Old Trafford due to injury problems.

Jesse Lingard is likely to be in the XI against his former club, while Brennan Johnson and Taiwo Awoniyi could both start if Gibbs-White is unable to prove his fitness ahead of kickoff at Old Trafford.