Gameweek 37 of the 2025/26 Premier League season will continue on Sunday with six matches. The penultimate round of fixtures starts on Friday with the game between Aston Villa and Liverpool at Villa Park before continuing with Manchester United vs Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford two days later, as top-flight action takes a break for Saturday’s FA Cup final.
Manchester United will have nothing much to play for except an individual record, a bittersweet farewell, and momentum in the final two weeks of the 2025/26 season. The Red Devils achieved their objective to qualify for the UEFA Champions League with three games left, and they are almost certain to finish third.
So, all that remains is getting Bruno Fernandes to the assists record for a Premier League season and giving Casemiro a fitting Old Trafford send-off after a breathtaking farewell tour by the classy Brazilian defender. Similarly, for Nottingham Forest, Saturday’s match will be a dead rubber.
With the Tricky Trees bowing out of the UEFA Europa League last week, they have nothing but pride to play for in their final few Premier League games, having secured safety last week. Nevertheless, Vitor Pereira has made a significant impact at the Midlands club, and their eight-match unbeaten run has helped them retain their Premier League status.
The reverse fixture saw Nottingham Forest twice come from a goal down to hold Manchester United to a 2-2 draw. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Michael Carrick has received a positive update on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Manchester United head coach may be bereft of the services of only one first-team player vs Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
Casemiro has resumed training this week and should be available for his Old Trafford farewell ahead of his impending departure as a free agent this summer. Meanwhile, Manuel Ugarte (lower back) and Benjamin Sesko (knock) face late fitness tests to determine their availability. So, Matthijs de Ligt (lower back) is the only player in the treatment room.
Senne Lammens is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Manchester United lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Nottingham Forest on Sunday. The backline will feature Diogo Dalot, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, and Luke Shaw.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo in the double pivot, with Bruno Fernandes reprising the no. 10 role. Finally, Benjamin Sesko will lead the line for Manchester United against Nottingham Forest, with Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha being the two wide attackers. Joshua Zirkzee will start as the central striker if Sesko is not fit enough to feature from the get-go.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Mbeumo, Bruno Fernandes, Cunha; Sesko
Like his counterpart in the Manchester United dugout, Vitor Pereira has received positive updates on the team news front ahead of the trip to Old Trafford. The Nottingham Forest boss is certain to be without only four first-team players, while six others face late fitness tests.
John Victor, Nicolo Savona, and Willy Boly remain in the treatment room due to their long-term knee injuries, while Callum Hudson-Odoi is recovering from a thigh issue. Meanwhile, Pereira is awaiting late updates on Ola Aina (knock), Murillo (hamstring), Zach Abbott (head), Ibrahim Sangare (unspecified), Dan Ndoye (groin), and Morgan Gibbs-White (face).
Matz Sels is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Nottingham Forest lining up in a 3-4-1-2 formation in front of him vs Manchester United on Sunday. The central defensive unit will feature Jair Cunha, Nikola Milenkovic, and Morato. Meanwhile, Neco Williams and Luca Netz should be the two wing-backs.
The wide duo will provide width in the final third and protect the centre-backs. As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Elliot Anderson and Nicolas Dominguez in the central areas, with Omari Hutchinson reprising the no. 10 role. Finally, Igor Jesus and Chris Wood will be the two strikers for the away side.
Probable Lineup (3-4-1-2): Sels; Cunha, Milenkovic, Morato; Williams, Yates, Anderson, Netz; Hutchinson; Jesus, Wood
While Casemiro, Igor Jesus, and Elliot Anderson were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Bruno Fernandes as the Player to Watch for Saturday’s Premier League match between Manchester United and Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford.
The Manchester United skipper, newly crowned Manchester United’s Player of the Year, has created 124 chances in the Premier League this season, the fourth most on record (since 2003/04) in a campaign after Mesut Ozil in 2015/16 (146), Kevin De Bruyne in 2019/20 (136) and Frank Lampard in 2008/09 (134).
While making history by claiming the assists record will be on the agenda, Fernandes can also bolster his prospects of winning the Premier League Player of the Year by producing a match-winning display. So, it is little wonder that the 31-year-old playmaker is a top candidate for the captain’s armband in FPL for Gameweek 37.
Manchester United’s goalless draw with Sunderland in Gameweek 36 ended their 23-game scoring streak in the Premier League. The Red Devils last failed to score in consecutive games in May 2025, and they have not recorded successive clean sheets since September 2024. However, lightning may not strike twice, and Casemiro’s return will lead to a turnaround in front of goal.
Bruno Fernandes will also be determined to get the monkey off his back and claim the assists record all for himself. Additionally, with Morgan Gibbs-White’s fitness situation uncertain, the away side will not pose a sustained threat in the final third.
So, the hosts should run the show for the most part and end their winless run against Nottingham Forest, with Fernandes making history. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for Michael Carrick and his charges.
