Manchester United vs. Nottingham Forest Prediction: Carrick Closing in on Job

Manchester United have already qualified for the Champions League, while Nottingham Forest are safe from the threat of relegation. Who wins this one at Old Trafford?

• Manchester United were held to a 0-0 draw by Sunderland last weekend

• Nottingham Forest drew 1-1 with Newcastle United in their previous game

Manchester United vs. Nottingham Forest Odds

The odds for Manchester City vs. Crystal Palacepr are provided by BetMGM, one of our best soccer betting sites. Join BetMGM today with our bonus code WSNSPORTS to claim your welcome offer: Get Up to $1,500 in Bonus Bets.

Get more key details on the BetMGM Bonus Code here.

*21+ only. Please Gamble Responsibly. See BetMGM.com for Terms. First Bet Offer for new customers only (if applicable). Subject to eligibility requirements. Bonus bets are non-withdrawable. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. Promotional offers not available in Mississippi, New York, Ontario, or Puerto Rico.

If you are in a state where BetMGM is not yet legal, we recommend trying Kalshi, one of the best prediction markets in the US. Sign up using Kalshi promo code WSN to get a $10 bonus after making 100 contracts.

My +120 Pick for Manchester United vs. Nottingham Forest 

Back Manchester United to beat Nottingham Forest in a game containing over 2.5 goals. Many of United’s recent matches have featured three goals or more, and we fancy Michael Carrick’s team to triumph on home turf.

Use WSNSPORTS at BetMGM for $1,500 Bonus

Michael Carrick Waits to Learn Fate as Interim Spell Nears End

When Michael Carrick was installed as Manchester United’s interim manager in the middle of January, the club was in a bad state. Ruben Amorim had departed a few weeks earlier having taken the team backwards over the previous year. 

Darren Fletcher had failed to bring about an upturn in fortunes during his brief spell as caretaker boss, so United appointed Carrick on a short-term deal until the end of the campaign. His remit was to steady the ship and prepare the ground for a new permanent appointment to be made in the summer. Carrick was asked to restore some pride to a battered soccer club.

He has done that and more. Because United’s place in the top five of the Premier League has been secure for a while now, it is easy to forget how bleak the situation looked when Carrick was handed the reins in the first month of the calendar year. United, fresh from finishing 15th last term, were seventh in the standings when Carrick took charge.

That is not exactly a disastrous placing, but it is worth bearing in mind that United were only six points clear of Bournemouth in 15th. On top of that, confidence in the locker room was low and the fans were starting to ask serious questions of the people running the soccer operation at Old Trafford. It was, in other words, not a happy camp.

Carrick instantly lifted the mood by guiding Manchester United to back-to-back victories over Manchester City and Arsenal. Soon United were in the top five and looking up rather than down. Champions League qualification was sorted out last month, and United are now guaranteed to finish third. Not bad for an interim manager. 

Will Carrick be rewarded with a full-time contract in the weeks ahead? It is increasingly hard to imagine United turning to anyone else, in part because of how well Carrick has done and in part due to the lack of proven alternatives waiting in the wings.

Claim $1,500 in Bonus Bets at BetMGM

Nottingham Forest Will Reflect on Season With Mixed Emotions

This has been a rollercoaster of a campaign for Nottingham Forest, who have gone through four managers and are reportedly mulling another change in the dugout at the end of the season. On the plus side, Forest are now safe from the threat of relegation that had been hanging over them for months. That takes the pressure off their last two games of 2025/26.

Yet frustration abounds. Forest collapsed in the second leg of their Europa League semi-final. Leading Aston Villa 1-0 from the first game, they suffered a 4-0 defeat at Villa Park to crash out of the competition, denying them the shot at a trophy. Moreover, merely surviving relegation would not have been deemed cause for celebration at the beginning of the season.

It is worth remembering that Forest were the Premier League’s surprise package last term. A seventh-place finish earned them a place in Europe. The goal this time around was to kick on again, or at least to maintain that level. But Forest sacked Nuno Espirito Santo after he fell out with their sporting director Edu Gaspar, who now looks set to depart as well.

Since then, Ange Postecoglou, Sean Dyche and Vitor Pereira have all led Forest with varying degrees of success. Postecoglou did not work out, while Dyche initially tightened things up before Forest went off the boil. Pereira has done the best job of all, but it remains to be seen whether he is the man to take the club forward in the medium term. Whatever else you say about them, it is never dull at Nottingham Forest.

Join BetMGM Sportsbook Today

Can Manchester United Sign Off at Old Trafford With a Win?

This is Manchester United’s final home game of the season ahead of a trip to Brighton & Hove Albion next weekend. The fans at Old Trafford will be keen to show their appreciation to the players and staff for what has, in the end, been a decent season.

United’s failure to win a trophy means it cannot be called anything more than that, but there is a sense that the Red Devils are on the up after the disappointment of Amorim’s tenure. Carrick is the man to thank for that, and most supporters now want to see him given the job on a permanent basis.

Finishing the campaign with two more victories would not harm the manager’s cause. Carrick’s opposite number on Sunday will be eyeing a positive result for the same reason. Forest have a good record under Pereira, but injuries have begun to bite and the team has nothing meaningful left to play for.

Of course, the same is true of United, but they have better players at their disposal than Forest, and will benefit from home advantage on Sunday. That is why we favor a home win. Combine that with over 2.5 goals, a bet which has paid out in seven of United’s last nine matches.

Get Your BetMGM Bonus Code

How to Watch Manchester United vs. Nottingham Forest

• Teams: Manchester United vs. Nottingham Forest

• Location: Old Trafford, Manchester, England

• Date and Time: Sunday 17th May, 7:30 AM ET

• How to Watch: USA Network