Nottingham Forest vs Manchester United Prediction: Red Devils should have enough to progress

Manchester United’s run of five successive wins was ended by a home loss to Fulham on Saturday and manager Erik ten Hag will want to see an improvement as they go for the only trophy left for them to win this season.

They head to Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night (KO, 19:45) in the fifth round of the FA Cup having lost 2-1 at the City Ground in the league at the end of December, but the Tricky Trees need to pick themselves up from a 4-2 league defeat at Aston Villa on Saturday.

Team News

Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo may look to switch things around but he will not have Nuno Tavares, Chris Wood, Ola Aina, Ibrahim Sangare or Willy Boly available.

United midfielder Casemiro is a serious doubt after suffering a head injury against Fulham and he looks set to join Rasmus Hojlund, Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martinez, Anthony Martial, Tyrell Malacia, Mason Mount and Aaron Wan-Bissaka on the sidelines.

Match Odds

The tie will have to be settled on the night and Manchester United are 6/5 to complete the job in regulation time with Forest rated an 11/5 chance. A draw would force extra time and is available to back at 5/2.

Over 2.5 goals is 8/11 with 4/7 available for both teams to score. Punters who believe we will witness a repeat of Forest’s 2-1 league victory over United in December can get 10/1.

Red Devils forward Marcus Rashford is 4/1 to score the game’s first goal with Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi next on the list at 9/2.

Manchester United to win @ 6/5

United were poor in their defeat to Fulham on Saturday, but they had won five games on the bounce before then and there is a chance the defeat to the Cottagers is just a blip.

The loss of Hojlund is a blow, but United have earned wins at Aston Villa, Wolves and Luton Town recently so a victory at Forest should be well within their compass.

The Tricky Trees beat United 2-1 on December 30, but they have won just one league game since and, after struggling to get past Blackpool and Bristol City in previous rounds, this could be where their FA Cup dream dies as they have kept just two home clean sheets in 16 matches this season.

#PickYourPunt - Both teams to score, Scott McTominay to score anytime & over 19.5 Manchester United booking points @ 11/2

United’s last four away games have all been wins in which both teams have scored and this looks set to continue that pattern as Forest are unlikely to sit back in what should be a charged City Ground atmosphere.

Scott McTominay could get his opportunity in the United midfield with Casemiro set to be missing through injury and the Scot has scored eight goals this season despite modest playing time.

He looks a strong anytime goalscorer option while we can also expect United to pick up at least two yellow cards, something that has happened in each of their last seven games against Premier League opposition. They received four when they visited Forest at the end of last year.

Check out the rest of our Football Betting Tips here.