[Bertie Wooster]

But he is absolutely capable of doing it and has done before, Amad would get bullied out of there and McTominay would lose his ability to ghost into the box so he won’t score any goals.

It’s hardly an unreasonable decision to start Rashford up top and imagine the outrage if he started any of those listed up top as we would obviously still lose.

Yeah, I'd prefer McTominay in the #10 role behind Rashford. Providing some of the physicality and, especially, work rate and pressing that Rashford and Bruno won't and that we lack without Hojlund. It also keeps McTominay in that position that allows him to ghost into the box.

That would probably mean moving Bruno out to the right as he's highly unlikely not to start at all. But as he's not playing that well anyway at #10, and the other starting options (Antony, Amad, Forson) are no better and probably worse, then Fernandes, McTominay, Garnacho and Rashford are probably our best remaining bets for goals and it gets them all in there in positions they're all familiar with playing (albeit not necessarily their 'best' ones).

 

[RuudTom83]

A mid-week game! bloody hell.

No Hojlund means this is gonna very be hard work.

Do we go with McTom upfront and hope for the best?

 

[Superden]

its going to be the same as most other games this season, regardless of how well we play going forward, forest will have enough chances, its whether they are good enough to put them away.

 

[soapythecat]

Easy win for Forest. We have been rubbish, even when we win. Take out the Villa comeback and Palace in the cup, and we could have been beaten easily in every game this season. So many players need to step up but I'm sure ETH will persist with a press that Rashford can't and won't do.

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

For the love of God play Amad through the middle and let him drop deeper and float around. Keeps Rashford on the left and Garnacho on the right in their best positions.

Assume it’ll just be Rashford through the middle again though.

 

[Jaap]

Probably be

Onana
Dalot Maguire Varane Lindelöf
Mainoo Casemiro
Antony Bruno Garnacho
Rashford​

should be

Onana
Dalot Maguire Varane Amass
Mainoo Casemiro
Garnacho Bruno Rashford
Amad/Forson​

 

[Berbasbullet]

Has Amad ever played false 9/CF? I’m unsure what we are all wishing for here.

 

[Asger]

Do we think Antony could play as a left back?

 

[DJ_21]

Do we think Antony could play as a left back?

Left back in the changing rooms yes.

 

[Wing Attack Plan R]

What kind of statement will ETH make for his last game in charge? Should be interesting. Just kidding, I think he'll be here until we get hammered by City on March 3.

 

[Wing Attack Plan R]

If Rashford starts, we probably lose. Need all 11 players to put in a shift away in the FA cup.

I'd go with:

Onana

Lindelof Willy Varane Dalot

Mainoo Eriksen Amrabat

Amad, Mctom, garnacho

Suicidal lineup. I guess that would be ETH's final comment: suicide.

 

[Forest Red]

According Nuno’s pre-match presser, non of the Afcon players are fit yet + no new injuries after Villa so my guess for our lineup will be

Sels

Williams - Felipe - Murillo - Toffolo
Yates - Dominguez
Elanga - MGW - CHO
Awoniyi

 

[Chairman Steve]

If we win, I guarantee someone’s going to make a whole song and dance about ‘Fergie almost got sacked until we won an FA Cup tie against Forest away!’

 

[NLunited]

Dalot and Garnacho on left, Rashford middle, Antony on right with Lindelöf.

Let Antony start to see if he can recover a bit of form.

Forson and Amad were poor.

Casemiro should play otherwise we might be overrun in midfield again. I don‘t trust McT in there defensively.

 

[peridigm]

What kind of statement will ETH make for his last game in charge? Should be interesting. Just kidding, I think he'll be here until we get hammered by City on March 3.

ETH won't be sacked until CL qualification is no longer achievable. Even a hammering by City won't trigger the bosses. At least this is my thought process given the way we have been run for the past 10 years. Maybe the new bosses will actually do something correctly and sack him sooner so a capable manager can come in and get us CL qualification. Wouldn't that be something.

 

[NLunited]

ETH won't be sacked until CL qualification is no longer achievable. Even a hammering by City won't trigger the bosses. At least this is my thought process given the way we have been run for the past 10 years. Maybe the new bosses will actually do something correctly and sack him sooner so a capable manager can come in and get us CL qualification. Wouldn't that be something.

Is attaining CL football still a requirement?

It is a different situation to 8-10 years ago: the league is a lot stronger. I‘m pretty sure we aren‘t operating by that metric anymore.

 

[V.O.]

Sels

Williams - Felipe - Murillo - Toffolo
Yates - Dominguez
Elanga - MGW - CHO
Awoniyi

Forest's run of having a new keeper every time I see them play continues

 

[CasaStreets]

Has Amad ever played false 9/CF? I’m unsure what we are all wishing for here.

Don’t think so, he came on for Martial vs Milan a few years back (and scored a good goal) but I believe we shifted Greenwood up front that day and played Amad wide right.

I’d personally say put McT up there. It’ll be basically the same as Weghorst but with slightly worse hold-up and slightly more goal threat, which is definitely better than putting Rashy there and all but ruining our press.

He won’t do it though, it’ll be Rashford. I think they’ll play straight through us.

 

[Needham]

Shades of 1989/90 season?

Only if there's crowd trouble outside. Tony O Neill's book has the off the field story of that game. Fights all day. Think Forest were out for revenge after what happened in the quarters at OT the season before.

 

[Licha-Vidic]

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[Gabriel Djemba-Bebe]

Please just fecking win this so I don't have to give up on this season yet.

 

[Yagami]

Has Amad ever played false 9/CF? I’m unsure what we are all wishing for here.

I don't think he's started a game as one, but he did end up as a CF at some points during last season when other players were subbed, and he didn't stand out there from memory but wasn't bad either.

 

[BorisManUtd]

There's no replay from this round, right? So everything will be decided tomorrow. We lost at Forest 2 months ago so that happening again would effectively mean our season finished.

 

[Gator Nate]

Just a thought... never gonna happen:

Onana
Maguire - Varanne - Evans
Mainoo - Casemiro
Garnacho - McTominay - Bruno - Rashford
Amad​

 

[Forest Red]

There's no replay from this round, right? So everything will be decided tomorrow. We lost at Forest 2 months ago so that happening again would effectively mean our season finished.

Correct - extra time and penalties. Fun fact - we haven't lost a Pen shootout since the mid 90’s - currently 10 undefeated.

 

[top1whoisman]

Maguire ruled out, Bruno & Varane doubtful.

 

[DavidDeSchmikes]

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[bosnian_red]

Given the injuries...

Onana
Lindelof Kambwala Evans Dalot
Casemiro Mainoo
Garnacho Eriksen Rashford
McTominay
​

Or amad on the right and Rashford top? feck knows. Won't be pretty.

 

[thisisnottaken1]

This would be the first match that Bruno has missed through injury for us, he missed one match via illness back in April.

 

[Wheato]

----------------------Onana
Lindelof Kambwala Evans Dalot
----------Casemiro Amrabat
---Garnacho Mainoo Rashford
----------------McTominay

 

[Wheato]

This would be the first match that Bruno has missed through injury for us, he missed one match via illness back in April.

Good. He's giving the ball away like Willy Wonka handing out sweets. Maybe we can control the game with less hopeful balls into no-mans land.

 

[Gabriel Djemba-Bebe]

----------------------Onana
Lindelof Kambwala Evans Dalot
----------Casemiro Amrabat
---Garnacho Mainoo Rashford
----------------McTominay

Jesus. I make us underdogs with that lineup.

 

[Hester_manc]

....................Onana.........
Dalot.Kambwala.Evans.Lindelöf

............Mainoo...Casemiro............
.....................Eriksen.....................
Antony.................................Garnacho
......................Rashford........................

So stupid that we did not loan Reguilon for the rest of the season. We knew that Malacia would be out for a long time, and we knew that Shaw always get injured.

 

[Bertie Wooster]

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This is getting ridiculous.

I dread every press conference ahead of a game as it's just waiting to find out which senior players are the latest to join the injury list.

Absolute nightmare of a season as regards injuries and results. The only positive is the light at the end of the tunnel with the long term INEOS plans.

 

[Wheato]

This is getting ridiculous.

I dread every press conference ahead of a game as it's just waiting to find out which senior players are the latest to join the injury list.

Absolute nightmare of a season as regards injuries and results. The only positive is the light at the end of the tunnel with the long term INEOS plans.

This was inevitable, we were still alive in 4 competitions by April last season. We played something like 65 games, with a World Cup thrown in. Bruno played more competitive games than anyone in the top 5 leagues. Casemiro played more games last season, than any other season in his whole career.

We see all these senior players way off it this year, and I think this could be the reason. They were overplayed, not rested and didn't have the time to recover mentally and physically. I honesty think that the Mason Mount signing was back up for Bruno and replacement for Erikson, but obviously his injuries have forced Ten Hag to keep playing them.

 

[RuudTom83]

Varane has been playing for a few matches so he needs a midweek rest. 2 games a week should never be an option with his recovery record the last few years.

Bruno could do with having some time to recharge.

As long as they are fit for City at the weekend.

 

[Unam333]

....................Onana.........
Dalot.Kambwala.Evans.Lindelöf

............Mainoo...Casemiro............
.....................Eriksen.....................
Antony.................................Garnacho
......................Rashford........................

So stupid that we did not loan Reguilon for the rest of the season. We knew that Malacia would be out for a long time, and we knew that Shaw always get injured.

Possibly this lineup considering the injuries.

 

[Flying_Heckfish]

Jesus. I make us underdogs with that lineup.

We were already underdogs for this one I am afraid.

 

[Red00012]

We were already underdogs for this one I am afraid.

We aren’t though

 

[Gabriel Djemba-Bebe]

We were already underdogs for this one I am afraid.

Not according to the bookies we aren't. If I wasn't a United fan I'd be tempted to have a flutter on Forest.