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Manchester United could offer Man City team news hint with selections vs Nottingham Forest

Manchester United host Nottingham Forest this evening three days after their first defeat under new head coach Ruben Amorim.

Amorim has made six changes to the starting XI in each of the last three matches yet United were soundly beaten by Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night. Lisandro Martinez and Kobbie Mainoo are available again after suspension but Victor Lindelof, Jonny Evans and Luke Shaw are all out through injury still.

A win would take United above Forest and here are five things to look out for:

**How many more changes?**

The mass rotation served United reasonably well until the second half at Arsenal. As soon as Amorim made a half-time change, United lost their balance. The irony is Amad, who replaced Tyrell Malacia, was their most threatening forward. Amad has to be the first name on the teamsheet at the moment.

**READ MORE: [Amorim close to settling on United first XI](https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ruben-amorim-hints-close-deciding-30530596)**

**READ MORE: [United missing three players as Amorim pays tribute to Kath Phipps](https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/manchester-united-give-team-news-30530281)**

If Malacia's interval withdrawal was planned pre-match then that is remiss of the coaching staff. Such plans are permissible for Huddersfield away in the EFL Trophy but not Arsenal away in the Premier League. Once United went 1-0 down, Amorim turned to the bench and made a triple substitution.

The trial and error has merit and these players need to be kept on their toes. United are 13th and two places above Everton, after all. Six changes for the fourth match running would be excessive.

**Calm or chaos?**

United had 13 corners to deal with at Arsenal. The first one that Diogo Dalot needlessly caused preceded a high-five between him and Andre Onana. Then Thomas Partey should have scored.

The mentality at United has regressed and players give the impression they are content with giving goalscoring opportunities away. Liverpool conceded one corner away at the Emirates Stadium in October.

When Forest turned up at United last year, they were 2-0 up inside three minutes and their second goal was from a corner. United had ample time to recover and did so in a 3-2 win yet their panicky play at dead-ball kicks in midweek was a return of the chaos that engulfed the final 15 months of Erik ten Hag's reign.

**Mainoo and Ugarte reunited?**

Purportedly United's prime partnership in midfield, Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte have started alongside each other once and it lasted 45 minutes in the 3-0 drubbing by Tottenham.

Mainoo was absent for eight weeks through injury and Ugarte was unavailable for the first four games of the season, so United are still not settled in an area that was their biggest issue last term.

Ugarte emerged from the Arsenal defeat with some credit and it would be contrary to bench him today, though Amorim clarified he requires more time to recover than some teammates. United's next game is in five days in Plzen and the majority of starters today should start at Manchester City on Sunday week.

**Striker merry-go-round?**

Every scorer under Amorim has been dropped for the next match, which has not been an entirely sound strategy. Rasmus Hojlund, a logical recall in midweek, regressed. Marcus Rashford, dubiously dropped, came on and also regressed to such an extent his body language was strikingly poor.

For the first time since August, there is a credible case to have Joshua Zirkzee back in the starting XI. Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic are imposing centre halves who could easily neuter Hojlund.

**Home comforts for Yoro?**

The last time Leny Yoro was on the Old Trafford pitch his left foot was in a protective boot. Yoro made his long-awaited debut on Wednesday night and there is every chance he will make his home bow today.

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