Manchester United vs Nottingham Forest Bet Builder Tips: Murillo the man again

Manchester United and Nottingham Forest meet at Old Trafford on Saturday (17:30, Sky Sports Main Event) with just three points separating the sides in the Premier League table. Currently, the Red Devils are 13th, six places behind this weekend's visitors, but Ruben Amorim's side can overtake Nuno Espirito Santo's charges by beating the Tricky Trees this weekend.

Ahead of this contest which pits two Portuguese head coaches against each other, check out my Manchester United vs Nottingham Forest Bet Builder tips below, where I have drawn up an 18/1 effort comprised of four selections.

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Both Teams to Score - Yes

These sides actually rank lowly in the Premier League 'Both Teams to Score' table, with Man United joint-bottom alongside Everton as just 36 per cent (five) of their 14 games have finished with at least one strike on either side, while Nottingham Forest are only slightly higher up on 43 per cent (six).

However, both league games between the two teams last season saw both score, the first a 3-2 win for the Red Devils at Old Trafford in August 2023 and the second a 2-1 victory for the Tricky Trees at the City Ground four months later.

Forest boast one of the best defensive records this season, conceding just 16 times in 14 matches. Only the current top three - Liverpool (11), Chelsea (15) and Arsenal (14) - have allowed fewer strikes, but 60 per cent (nine) of that total has come in their last four outings, with exactly three goals shipped to each of Newcastle United, Arsenal and Manchester City. They've also kept just two clean sheets in seven away games and they both arrived in their first two of the season, with 10 goals conceded in five away trips since.

Man United, meanwhile, have only blanked once at Old Trafford in 2024/25 and that was under Amorim's predecessor Erik ten Hag in a 3-0 defeat to Premier League leaders Liverpool on September 1. The Red Devils have conceded eight league goals at home, though, shipping three apiece to Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur and one each to Brentford and Chelsea, while Forest have only been shut out on the road at the Emirates and Etihad.

Both teams will fancy their chances of unsettling the other and so I think BTTS - Yes has a great chance of landing on Saturday, despite the table suggesting otherwise.

Player Shots on Target - Marcus Rashford (MUN) 1+

I backed Man United winger Marcus Rashford to register a shot on target at Arsenal on Wednesday but unfortunately, Amorim sprung a surprise by dropping him down to the bench.

Nevertheless, we go again this weekend with Rashford surely a stick-on to start at Old Trafford, where the 27-year-old had an effort saved against the same opposition in last season's corresponding fixture. The Red Devils Academy graduate also scored in the reverse game at the City Ground with his only shot.

Rashford is only averaging 0.6 shots on target per game in this season's Premier League but has recorded three in two starts under Amorim, scoring with all three efforts on goal, and should be able to last least test Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels on Saturday.

Player Shots on Target - Chris Wood (NFO) 1+

Forest hot shot Chris Wood has been one of the Premier League's standout performers this season with only Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (13) and Manchester City's Erling Haaland (12) bettering his goal tally of nine (level with Chelsea's Cole Palmer). The New Zealand striker has only scored once in his last four appearances but he started one of those games - at Arsenal - on the bench and his latest match was at the home of reigning champions Man City, who were fired up after a seven-game winless spell.

In truth, Wood should have scored at the Etihad as he missed a one-on-one with City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega, who also saved an effort from the 32-year-old.

Wood is averaging 1.1 shots on target per Premier League game this season and will back himself to maintain that average on Saturday at an ordinary United side that even allowed two efforts on goal in a routine 4-0 victory over Everton at Old Trafford last weekend.

Player Shots - Murillo (NFO) 2+

I've enjoyed great success with Murillo shots this season with two landing as part of a successful 7/1 effort against West Ham and a couple more coming in as part of a successful 6/1 Bet Builder against Newcastle. The Forest centre-back is proving a real nuisance to opposition defenders, particularly at set-pieces, and scored his first Premier League goal in his side's 3-1 defeat to Newcastle on November 10.

Murillo is averaging 0.9 shots per game but that's skewed by the Brazilian failing to register a shot in his first six outings this term, with all 12 of his efforts coming in his last eight matches. He's had at least one shot in every contest in that run, starting with two in a 1-1 draw with Chelsea on October 6, while he's also mustered a couple of shots in a 3-1 win over Leicester City, a 3-0 victory over West Ham, and a 3-1 defeat to Newcastle.

The 22-year-old even took one shot at the home of last season's top two, Arsenal and Man City, despite Forest losing both games 3-0.

Murillo should be licking his lips at the prospect of facing this United side who looked shaky defending set-pieces against Arsenal on Wednesday, conceding 13 corners and conceding from two of them.

Forest are averaging 4.8 corners taken per game and won a couple at the Etihad in midweek despite the home side's dominance. They'll be looking to take the game more to United this weekend with the Red Devils a considerably worse team than the Citizens, so Murillo should have plenty of chances to try his luck again.

Offers

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