Nottingham Forest can take a deep breath knowing they’re safe from relegation when they travel to face Manchester United in a Premier League fixture on Sunday, May 17.
The match kicks off at 7:30 a.m. ET on USA Network from Old Trafford. Manchester United are favored to win their final home fixture of the season, returning a 1.58x payout if they win outright via PrizePicks Team Picks.
The match represents the final time Casemiro will play in front of the Stretford End, making it an emotional match for the Brazilian midfielder and the Old Trafford crowd.
Below, we’ll break down our Man United vs. Nottingham Forest prediction and picks for Sunday morning’s Premier League match, including the spread, total goals, and key player picks for PrizePicks.
Make your Man United vs. Nottingham Forest prediction on PrizePicks now.
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Man United vs. Nottingham Forest Prediction, Picks for Premier League - Sunday, May 17
Sunday will see CM Casemiro walk out of the Old Trafford tunnel for the final time, and last week showed just how badly this Manchester United side needs him on the pitch. The entire midfield structure was thrown off, and the Red Devils failed to score for the first time in 24 Premier League matches.
The fans will be singing his name on Sunday, and his presence allows CM Bruno Fernandes to again push up the pitch and create for his teammates. He’s still searching for that record-tying 20th assist, but he may be without ST Benjamin Sesko yet again.
Michael Carrick confirmed on Friday that the striker may not be back from his shin injury. ST Joshua Zirzee is likely to lead the line and could be out. The Red Devils will also be without CB Matthijs de Ligt, who underwent back surgery this week.
Nottingham Forest will be hopeful to have CM Morgan Gibbs-White back in the side on Sunday, although he may only be available as a substitute. However, they will still be missing a handful of key players, including CB Murillo, RB Ola Aina, and CB Willy Boly.
Nottingham Forest have had a strong close to the season, taking 15 of a possible 21 points from their last seven matches in the league. Their 1-1 draw with Newcastle last week secured their place in the Premier League for next season. Perhaps most impressively, they did so while navigating to within a match of the Europa League final.
The Red Devils have locked up a Champions League spot for next year, meaning this match holds no significance for either side aside from final positioning and the money that comes with it. Still, Man United will want to clinch third place and go out on a winning note. They’ve lost their home Premier League finale just once since 2007.
Forest comes in on an eight-match unbeaten run in the Premier League, but they’ve also played matches in that span against Burnley, Tottenham, Sunderland, and Fulham. Five of those matches have seen them manage less than 1.25 xG, although they scored 5 goals against Sunderland with just 0.89 xG.
One area where they’re struggling is to prevent high-quality opportunities. Forest have allowed 12.75 shots per match inside the box in their last eight away league fixtures.
Manchester United have the fifth-best conversion rate in the Premier League, and only Manchester City has attempted more shots this campaign. They’ve also managed at least 1.64 xG in seven of their last nine home matches in all competitions.
Man United vs. Nottingham Forest Spread, Total Goals, Payouts – Sunday, May 17
Manchester United enters Sunday’s game as home favorites, returning a 1.58x payout if they win outright, via PrizePicks Team Picks.
Here are the full payouts for the Man United vs. Nottingham Forest match on PrizePicks.
Winner Payout: Man United – 1.58x | Tie – 4x | Nottingham Forest – 4.34x
Spread: Man United -1.5 (2.5x Payout)
Total Goals: 2.5 (Over – 1.56x)
Both Teams to Score: Yes 1.61x | No 2.17x
Play the Man United vs. Nottingham Forest spread or total goals on PrizePicks Team Picks to earn real money — available in 35 states!
Team Picks data is live at the time of writing and is subject to change.
Man United vs. Nottingham Forest Prediction on Total Goals – 5/17/26
Here are the key stats and trends behind our Man United vs. Nottingham Forest prediction on total goals for Sunday, May 17.
Lock in your Man United vs. Nottingham Forest prediction on PrizePicks before kick off.
- There have been at least 2 goals scored in Manchester United’s last 10 home fixtures, and the last five matches have all seen at least 3 goals.
- Both teams have scored in each of Man United’s last five matches as well and in 13 of their last 18 home fixtures.
- Nine of Nottingham Forest’s last 10 away fixtures in all competitions have featured 3 goals or more.
- Manchester United have scored the third-most goals in the league, bagging 63 from 59.26 xG.
- Only six clubs have allowed more expected goals than Nottingham Forest this season.
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Man United vs. Nottingham Forest Projected Lineups for Sunday, May 17
Here are the projected Man United vs. Nottingham Forest lineups for Sunday's Premier League match. Lineups are not official.
Man United Lineup vs. Nottingham Forest: Projected 4-2-3-1
- Goalkeeper: Senne Lammens
- Defense: Diogo Dalot, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw
- Midfield: Casemiro, Kobbie Mainoo, Bruno Fernandes
- Forwards: Bryan Mbeumo, Joshua Zirkzee, Matheus Cunha
Nottingham Forest Lineup vs. Man United: Projected 4-2-3-1
- Goalkeeper: Matz Sels
- Defense: Jair Cunha, Nikola Milenkovic, Morato, Neco Williams
- Midfield: Elliot Anderson, Nicolas Dominguez, James McAtee
- Forwards: Omari Hutchinson, Chris Wood, Igor Jesus
Make Man United vs. Nottingham Forest Picks on PrizePicks
Sunday’s match between Manchester United and Nottingham Forest will be an emotional one for the home fans and players alike. With the pressure off for both sides, we could be in for an entertaining match with some free-flowing football.
Don’t wait until lock — make your Man United vs. Nottingham Forest picks on PrizePicks now and earn real money if you’re right.
Pick players, predict More or Less on their stats, and cash in if you’re right. With Team Picks, you can make predictions on game winners, spreads, and over/unders, now available in 35 states.
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