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It’s been a mixed past seven days for Manchester United, who have had to weather the storm under very difficult circumstances.
The Red Devils beat Everton in the Premier League last week before drawing 2-2 with Sevilla in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League quarterfinals at Old Trafford.
Erik ten Hag has also had to watch several of his key players walk off the pitch due to injury, with Marcus Rashford, Luke Shaw, Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez and Alejandro Garnacho all sidelined.
However, the football calendar waits for no team, and Manchester United's latest challenge sees them travel to the City Ground to face Nottingham Forest on Sunday (April 16).
The two clubs have been rivals for decades. Although Forest’s decline in recent years has taken a bit of shine off this fixture, there's no love lost between the two teams.
High stakes for both teams
Manchester United are looking to return to winning ways after their disappointing blip against Sevilla and to also consolidate their place in the Premier League’s top four.
The Red Devils' hopes of qualifying for the Champions League will be hugely boosted if they beat Forest, as they will overtake Newcastle United into third place.
Meanwhile, Steve Cooper’s side also have a lot riding on this game. Winless in nine Premier League games, Forest have dropped to the relegation zone. However, a win or a draw against Manchester United will see them move out of the danger zone with seven games to go. That'ss why Forest will be a tough nut to crack and will give the Red Devils a run for their money.
Manchester United must take advantage of Spurs, Newcastle slip-ups
For Manchester United, though, lady luck has smiled at them and presented them with the perfect opportunity to steal a march on their top-four rivals. Newcastle were roundly beaten by Aston Villa on Saturday (April 15), while Tottenham also suffered a shock defeat to relegation-threatened Bournemouth.
Their losses mean the Red Devils can take advantage of their slip-ups, but the fact that Bournemouth upset Spurs should serve as a timely warning to Ten Hag’s side.
“Every game in this stage of the season is a danger because in all the games the opponents are more expansive. And definitely for Nottingham Forest,” Ten Hag told Manutd.com.
He continued:
“They are battling to not get relegated, so we have to be aware of it and we have to match that. So it's going to be a tough opponent, a tough game, but we have to win, and when we play our best football, we have a good opportunity to win there. We take confidence (from beating them in Carabao Cup this season) as well. But the game (starts at) 0-0, and we have to do it all over again. But the evidence shows we can do it.”
It’s rare for multiple rivals to slip up on the same weekend, but Newcastle and Tottenham’s losses can be Manchester United’s gain. First, though, the Red Devils must take care of Forest to ensure that this advantage doesn't go begging.
