Sean Dyche Makes Selection Decision as Forest Squad Named for Man United Match

Sean Dyche has confirmed his Nottingham Forest starting lineup for this afternoon’s crucial Premier League meeting with Manchester United at the City Ground, as the Reds aim to end a worrying winless run in the league.

Forest, currently 18th in the table, have not picked up a top-flight victory since the opening day of the season — a 3-1 triumph over Brentford back when Nuno Espirito Santo was still in charge. Since then, inconsistency and missed opportunities have plagued the side, and Dyche will be desperate to secure his first Premier League points as Forest boss.

Sean Dyche Searching for a League Breakthrough

The experienced coach has already tasted victory in Europe, having overseen a rousing 2-1 win over Porto in the Europa League during his first match in the dugout last week. That result injected much-needed belief into a squad low on confidence, and Dyche is now hoping to channel the same intensity and resilience into domestic competition.

However, Forest were brought back down to earth in their last outing, falling 2-0 to Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium. Dyche described that defeat as “a reality check,” lamenting his team’s lack of energy following the emotional high of their European triumph.

This week’s uninterrupted schedule has allowed the former Burnley and Everton manager to spend valuable time drilling his players on the training ground — an opportunity he believes will make a difference heading into a fixture of this magnitude.

Injury Concerns Persist

Sean Dyche is still without several key figures.

Nevertheless, Dyche has opted to stick with the same starting XI that faced Bournemouth, signalling faith in the group’s ability to bounce back. The only notable change comes on the bench, where James McAtee returns after missing out last weekend.

Forest XI to Face Manchester United

In goal, Matz Sels retains his place behind a familiar back four of Nicolo Savona, Nikola Milenkovic, Murillo, and Neco Williams. The midfield pairing of Douglas Luiz and Elliot Anderson will again anchor the centre of the park, offering a blend of experience and mobility.

Dyche’s bench offers several attacking alternatives, including Taiwo Awoniyi and Arnaud Kalimuendo, while Ibrahim Sangare and Ryan Yates provide midfield cover. The full Forest matchday squad is as follows:

Forest (4-2-3-1): Sels; Savona, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Luiz, Anderson; Ndoye, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus.
Subs: John, Morato, Sangare, Awoniyi, Kalimuendo, Hutchinson, Yates, Jair, McAtee.

A Defining Afternoon at the City Ground

Sean Dyche has called on the City Ground faithful to play their part, urging supporters to recreate the electric atmosphere that inspired Forest’s European success.

“Energy from the stands always feeds the players,” he said earlier in the week. “We’ll need every bit of that togetherness again — it can make the difference in tight moments.”

With Manchester United also under scrutiny after a mixed start to their own campaign, this afternoon’s clash promises to be a pivotal one for both sides — and potentially a turning point in Nottingham Forest’s season.