Manchester United edged past Nottingham Forest in a thrilling 3-2 victory at Old Trafford in their final Premier League home game of the season.

United head coach Michael Carrick made three changes to his side from last weekend.

All eyes were firmly fixed on Casemiro, who returned to the starting XI for his emotional final Old Trafford appearance in a United shirt.

It took United just five minutes to break the deadlock as Luke Shaw finally ended his long wait for a goal with his first strike since January 2023.

Morato restored parity after meeting an exquisite delivery from Elliot Anderson, but Matheus Cunha responded instantly to fire United back in front less than a minute later.

Bryan Mbeumo endured a frustrating afternoon in front of goal after wasting three huge opportunities before finally finding the net.

The goal carried historic significance as it allowed Bruno Fernandes to equal the all-time Premier League record for most assists in a single campaign.

Morgan Gibbs-White set up a nervy finale with a clever finish to make it 3-2, but United held firm to secure victory and officially seal a third-place finish in the league table.

Player Ratings

Senne Lammens – 8/10

Reacted brilliantly off his line to deny Morgan Gibbs-White a certain goal in both halves. The Belgian goalkeeper was left helpless for Forest’s two strikes.

Diogo Dalot – 7/10

Carried the ball forward tirelessly and provided energy down the flank, but his positioning could have been better on several occasions. Hit the post in the stoppage time.

Harry Maguire – 6/10

Produced a crucial intervention with a perfectly timed outstretched leg to bail Mbeumo out and stop a dangerous counter-attack.

Lisandro Martinez – 7/10

Produced a sharp dribble to beat his marker and create a half-chance for Bruno Fernandes. Also delivered a marvellous defensive display against Morgan Gibbs-White throughout the contest.

Luke Shaw – 9/10

Drilled his shot low and hard into the corner to score his first goal in over three years.

Kobbie Mainoo – 6/10

Another fine evening for Mainoo who is set for a big 2026-27 campaign.

Casemiro – 6/10

Final appearance at Old Trafford and picked up a booking just before his substitution. Came to close to scoring his 10th goal.

Bruno Fernandes – 10/10

What can we say about the best player in the Premier League? He could have had 5 assists if players around him supported him.

Delivered a sensational whipped cross from the right flank to create history, assisting Mbeumo in the 75th minute.

Amad Diallo – 5/10

Made an absolutely atrocious cutback that surrendered possession despite three United players waiting inside the box. He then followed it up with a header he never looked fully in control of.

Matheus Cunha – 9/10

Produced a superb through ball for Bryan Mbeumo and deserved an assist for the quality of the pass. Took his own goal brilliantly to make it 2-1 with complete composure.

He also played a key role in United’s third goal. The Brazilian ran the show at Old Trafford.

Bryan Mbeumo – 7/10

Struck the post after brilliantly rounding the goalkeeper before missing a sitter from six yards early in the second half.

He then wasted another glorious opportunity created by Bruno Fernandes. However, the forward eventually redeemed himself by finding the net to finally end his goal drought.

Substitutes

Mason Mount – 7/10

Lively and creative in central midfield role.

Patrick Dorgu – 5/10

Poor passes on two occasions to waste counter-attacking opportunities.

Joshua Zirkzee – 6/10

He should have scored twice in his 10-minute cameo.

Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .

Manchester United are now set to receive a significant financial boost ahead of the summer transfer window.

Rasmus Hojlund is currently spending the season on loan at Napoli after enduring a difficult spell at Old Trafford.

The loan deal came with an obligation for the Italian outfit to sign him permanently for £38 million if they qualified for the UEFA Champions League.

Napoli booked their spot in the Champions League today by picking up a dominant 3-0 victory over Pisa.

According to The Athletic, Hojlund is now set to join Napoli in a permanent transfer this summer as per the agreement.

The 23-year-old has looked completely at home in Italy after two difficult seasons in the Premier League.

The striker has scored 11 goals and provided six assists in 31 league games this campaign.

That represents a major improvement on the disappointing tally of just four Premier League goals he managed last season.

Hojlund arrived in Manchester as an immensely talented but still highly unpolished striker, and the instability surrounding the club only made his development more difficult.

The Dane reportedly fought hard to remain at Old Trafford last summer, but the club hierarchy ultimately informed him that he was no longer part of their long-term plans.

There is still no doubt that Hojlund possesses enormous potential and has all the tools needed to build a successful career at the highest level.

For United, the priority now will be to use the incoming transfer fee wisely to strengthen the attack and bring in quality cover for Benjamin Sesko.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com

Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .

Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick has unveiled his starting XI for today’s Premier League contest against Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford.

This game marks the final home game of the 2025-26 season for Man United.

There are plenty of reasons for United fans to be excited, but special attention will be on Casemiro, who is expected to grace the Old Trafford pitch for the final time.

Carrick has made three changes to his side that played a 0-0 draw with Sunderland last time out.

Senne Lammens has enjoyed a breakthrough campaign and deservedly retains his place between the sticks.

Forest have been ruthless in the attacking third this season, meaning the Belgian goalkeeper could face another demanding afternoon in pursuit of a clean sheet.

Diogo Dalot returns to the starting XI in place of Noussair Mazraoui.

Luke Shaw is making his 37th league appearance of the campaign and now stands just one match away from completing a near-perfect season.

Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez retain their spots at the heart of defence. Martinez has a lot to prove after failing to justify his inclusion ahead of Ayden Heaven.

For one final time at Old Trafford, Casemiro will line up alongside Kobbie Mainoo in midfield, while Mason Mount is forced to settle for a place on the bench once again.

Bruno Fernandes will operate in his favoured number 10 role and is now just one assist away from equalling the all-time Premier League record held by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.

Bryan Mbeumo returns to the XI, replacing Joshua Zirkzee in the number nine spot. Benjamin Sesko remains sidelined due to a shin injury.

Amad Diallo and Matheus Cunha will operate on the wings.

Confirmed Man United line-up (4-2-3-1): Senne Lammens; Diogo Dalot, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw; Kobbie Mainoo, Casemiro; Bruno Fernandes, Amad Diallo, Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo

Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .

Manchester United host Nottingham Forest in today’s early Premier League kick-off at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils have already secured a Champions League berth with a top-five league finish, but manager Michael Carrick will want to end the campaign on a high note.

United have 65 points from 36 matches, and hitting the 70-point mark could be the target with back-to-back wins. Ahead of the final home game, Carrick could make a few changes.

Formation: 4-2-3-1

Predicted Line-up:

Senne Lammens has been ever-present between the sticks for United since his debut in October last year. The Belgium international will be eyeing his eighth clean sheet of the league season.

Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez should continue as the central defensive pairing. Luke Shaw has started every league game at left-back this term, and looks poised to extend the run.

There could be a change at right-back with Diogo Dalot replacing Noussair Mazraoui, who had a mixed outing at Sunderland. Chemsdine Talbi got the better of him with his direct running on occasions.

With Casemiro fully fit after a minor injury, the Brazilian is set to partner Kobbie Mainoo in the centre of the park. Mason Mount, who had a poor outing on Wearside, should drop to the bench.

Casemiro has been one of the league’s best scoring midfielders with nine goals. The 34-year-old will surely want to end his farewell United game at Old Trafford with another goal involvement.

Further forward, Amad Diallo could drop to the bench after another underwhelming display on the right wing. The £37 million signing has had a frustrating 2026 with no goals or assists at the club level.

Carrick made a surprise choice to field Joshua Zirkzee upfront against Sunderland. We anticipate something similar with Patrick Dorgu getting the nod on the right side of United’s attack.

Dorgu has been somewhat of a revelation as a winger. He has predominantly played from the left but had one of his best outings against Newcastle, starting from the right. The Dane should replace Amad.

Bruno Fernandes is an obvious starter in the number 10 position. The Portuguese is on 19 league assists, just one shy of the competition record held jointly by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.

The club captain will be determined to match the feat but potentially break the record at Old Trafford.

Upfront, Carrick has a simple choice after Zirkzee’s dismal outing against the Black Cats. The Dutchman was barely influential, with 11 passes and lost possession nine times. He won just four out of 11 duels.

With Benjamin Sesko still nursing a shin injury, Bryan Mbeumo is set to feature as the makeshift number nine. The Cameroonian has not scored since February. He will be eyeing his 10th goal of the top-flight campaign.

How Man Utd could line up vs Nott Forest

Stats from Transfermarkt & Sofascore

Article written by Sri Aswin .

Manchester United U21s fell to a 1-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League 2 play-off final on Saturday evening.

Coach Adam Lawrence named a strong starting line-up that included Daniel Gore, who just returned from his loan spell at Rotherham United.

However, Chido Obi, Godwill Kukonki, and Jim Thwaites started from the bench, following their involvement in the U18s’ defeat to Manchester City in the FA Youth Cup final on Wednesday.

Gabriele Biancheri was also named as a substitute, having just concluded his loan term at Rotherham.

Brighton created the first opening in the third minute, as goalkeeper Will Murdock saved Harry Howell’s strike.

United responded swiftly, with Gore teeing up Jack Fletcher, but the midfielder could only flash his effort just wide of the post.

Gore then got a chance at the other end, having received a cutback from Jack Fletcher, only to blast over.

Murdock made a brilliant save just before the hour mark, denying Josh Robertson from close range, keeping the scores goalless.

Shea Lacey should have broken the deadlock before the interval after being slipped through, but goalkeeper Sebastian Jensen kept his effort out.

Brighton scored from their first attempt in the second period. Sean Keogh beat Diego Leon for pace, before delivering a low cross to Tyler Silsby, who finished calmly.

United pushed to restore parity, with Lacey getting heavily involved. The 19-year-old picked out Obi inside the six-yard box, but the Danish striker could not connect cleanly.

Obi fluffed a chance to score a dramatic equaliser in stoppage time, after receiving a backheel pass, but he could not get a shot away.

Article written by Henry Thornton .

Manchester United could enter the transfer market for a centre-back following Matthijs de Ligt’s back surgery this month.

De Ligt had been struggling with a back issue since November last year. The Dutchman had a setback in February and has now undergone a procedure to rectify the concern.

The Red Devils have confirmed that he will be sidelined until the early stages of the 2026/27 season. The club may handle him with extra caution in the first half of the campaign.

With United back in the Champions League, they need more depth and quality in central defence to provide cover for injuries, which have become a recurring issue at the club in the last few years.

Harry Maguire, Leny Yoro, Lisandro Martinez and Ayden Heaven are the fit solutions, but we believe the hierarchy should pursue another cost-effective signing. David Affengruber would be a perfect fit.

The Austrian has enjoyed a standout campaign with Elche, who are presently 17th in La Liga.

The 25-year-old has excelled with his all-round attributes as a right centre-back. He has completed 88 percent of his passes and won an impressive 65 percent of his ground and aerial duels.

Affengruber has also won two tackles per game alongside four recoveries and five clearances. He has a good physical and aerial presence and looks well-suited for Premier League football.

His current contract with Elche expires in June 2027, and Mundo Deportivo have claimed that he could be sold for an affordable fee of just £18 million during the upcoming summer transfer window.

Atletico Madrid are said to be frontrunners due to their good relationship with Elche. They signed Rodrigo Mendoza this year, and previously sold German Valera and Alejandro Iturbe the other way.

United must be proactive in the pursuit of Affengruber to beat Atletico to his services.

Stats from Sofascore.com

Article written by Sri Aswin .

Manchester United are poised to make multiple changes to the squad this summer.

A new left winger could be signed to compete with Matheus Cunha, and Gazet van Antwerpen claim that United have ‘especially’ made enquiries for Club Brugge’s Christos Tzolis.

The 24-year-old was touted to leave Brugge during last summer’s transfer window. Crystal Palace offered to pay £28 million, but the Belgian outfit decided against his departure.

Tzolis was also content to stay, but he is prepared to move on this time around. The ex-Norwich City attacker believes his cycle with the club has concluded.

Brugge sold Ardon Jashari to AC Milan for a club-record £31 million fee last summer. They are expected to hold out for a higher package to part ways with Tzolis.

Tzolis could emerge as a transfer option for United

United’s main focus for the summer transfer window will be on the midfield department.

Casemiro is poised to leave when his contract expires at the end of June, while Manuel Ugarte could be shown the exit door too, having failed to meet expectations during his time at the club.

This could mean United could pursue two holding midfielders. A marquee signing could be made for the role, alongside a second arrival on a lower fee. A third acquisition has not been ruled out.

If United have extra funds to spend, a left winger with potential could be recruited.

Cunha is the prime candidate on the left wing for the Red Devils. There has been no realistic competition, barring a couple of appearances from Patrick Dorgu at the beginning of the year.

Dorgu is a left-back who is better equipped to play as a forward. He has scored a few memorable goals, but the Dane lacks the dribbling skills or chance creation of a specialist winger.

Tzolis could emerge as an option for the Mancunian giants after his standout campaign at Brugge. He has bagged a sensational 19 goals and 24 assists from 49 appearances this season.

The Greek previously had one Premier League season with Norwich as a teenager in 2021/22, where he never really got going. He played just 328 minutes without a goal contribution.

He has, however, made vast progress since his switch to Belgian football. Tzolis could be eyeing a return to the English top-flight, and it remains to be seen whether United make an offer.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com

Article written by Sri Aswin .

Manchester United are set to face Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford in the final home game of the 2025-26 season.

The Red Devils have already secured a return to the UEFA Champions League and could clinch third place in the Premier League with just a single point tomorrow.

The season began in disappointing fashion under former manager Ruben Amorim.

Every week was a new low before Michael Carrick turned the tide after the turn of the year.

Here, we look at four key things Man United fans can look forward to in the final home game of the season.

Michael Carrick – Announcement soon

INEOS are expected to officially confirm Carrick as the new permanent Man United manager before kick-off.

The 44-year-old has overseen 10 wins from his 15 matches in charge.

The Red Devils have collected more points than any other Premier League team since he took over the reins.

Casemiro, Amad Diallo, Kobbie Mainoo and Matheus Cunha have publicly expressed their support for Carrick.

If confirmed, it will mark the first time Carrick leads this team into a new campaign as permanent head coach.

Farewell to Casemiro

Casemiro is set to make his final Old Trafford appearance tomorrow after recovering from injury.

The 34-year-old has enjoyed a remarkable campaign, combining defensive leadership with an impressive return of nine goals.

He has also built a strong emotional bond with the Old Trafford faithful.

Casemiro will be eager to bow out on a high, and it feels like the right moment for the club to begin a midfield refresh.

Before that, the Old Trafford crowd will be determined to give him a fitting farewell worthy of a modern-day great.

Potential debut for academy stars

United have always been defined by their academy tradition, even if Amorim tried to shift focus away from it.

Carrick is fully aware of the club’s identity and is expected to continue that proud philosophy.

There is a strong chance he could hand debuts to one or two exciting academy prospects who have impressed at youth level this season.

Jim Thwaites is one standout talent who could be introduced, possibly replacing Casemiro late on in the match.

Godwill Kukonki, fresh from an impressive FA Youth Cup final showing, is another teenager who could be rewarded for his development.

History-maker Bruno Fernandes

Bruno Fernandes stands on the brink of Premier League history.

The Portuguese midfielder has already registered 19 assists this season in the English top flight.

He is now just one assist away from equalling the all-time single-season record held by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.

Fernandes has been nothing short of sensational this campaign and remains a strong contender for the PFA Player of the Year award.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com

Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes is now on the verge of creating Premier League history.

The Portuguese playmaker has already registered an incredible 19 assists in the English top flight this season.

Another assist will help him equal the all-time record of most assists in a single season previously held by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.

The Red Devils will face Nottingham Forest in the penultimate game of the season tomorrow.

Fernandes has generally enjoyed facing Forest, contributing two goals and two assists across seven Premier League meetings.

His first two appearances against Forest ended without a goal contribution before he completely changed the narrative in the third encounter.

The United skipper produced a brilliant headed assist for Casemiro after the Red Devils had fallen 2-0 behind early in the match.

Later in the contest, Marcus Rashford won a crucial penalty before Fernandes calmly converted from the spot to complete a sensational comeback victory.

Forest then responded strongly by winning three consecutive matches against United, with Fernandes only able to score one goal.

The two sides last met earlier this season at the City Ground, where they played out an entertaining 2-2 draw.

Fernandes added another assist to his remarkable tally that evening by delivering a pinpoint cross from a corner for Casemiro to fire United ahead away from home.

Fernandes completed a hat-trick of awards this week.

He was crowned the winner of the prestigious Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award for the fifth time.

He also won the Football Writers’ Association (FWA) Footballer of the Year award and United’s Players’ Player of the Year honour.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com

Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .

Forgotten Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana reportedly faces an uncertain future with no route back into the first team at Old Trafford this summer.

According to The Daily Mail, Man United have told Andre Onana that they do not want him back.

Onana was sent on loan to Trabzonspor last summer after the arrival of Senne Lammens.

The Cameroon international moved to Old Trafford from Inter Milan in 2023 in a deal worth £47 million.

A series of costly high-profile mistakes across two difficult seasons severely damaged his relationship with the supporters.

His loan spell in Turkey offered a temporary escape from the pressure, and he even helped Trabzonspor reach the Turkish Cup final.

Trabzonspor president Ertugrul Dogan has already publicly admitted that the Turkish side would “love him” and “want him to stay”.

Onana started in the UEFA Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur but was unable to redeem himself with another unconvincing display.

Lammens is the clear first-choice goalkeeper at United with loanee Radek Vitek expected to earn promotion to the senior team after fantastic stint with Bristol City.

Onana will pocket a salary worth £120,000-a-week at United, which could become an expensive problem for a player unlikely to feature regularly in league matches.

There are also concerns internally that his strong extroverted personality could make accepting a long-term bench role extremely difficult.

Onana has often viewed himself as one of the leaders inside the dressing room, but his performances have never truly justified that status.

The 30-year-old is simply not good enough to play regularly for a club as big as United.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com

Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .