Sean Dyche has confirmed that Chris Wood will miss Nottingham Forest’s Premier League clash with Manchester United this weekend, as the club looks to record a third consecutive win over the Red Devils.
Wood, who scored in last season’s win at Old Trafford, has been struggling with a knee injury sustained while on international duty with New Zealand earlier this month. Despite initially featuring in Forest’s 3–0 defeat to Chelsea, the striker has since been sidelined and will not be fit in time for Saturday’s showdown.
“Woody is going to be possible for the Leeds game. He won’t make this one. We’ll have to see how that goes,” Dyche confirmed in his pre-match press conference. — Sean Dyche, Nottingham Forest manager
Injury Problems Pile Up for Dyche
The Forest boss also revealed a lengthy injury list that includes Ola Aina, Angus Gunn, Dilane Bakwa, and Oleksandr Zinchenko, who remains unavailable while recovering from a setback in his rehabilitation.
“I have made a note of them because we’ve got a couple of knocks,” Dyche said. “Angus Gunn hasn’t been playing but is part of the squad — he’s opened up his knee ligaments. Ola is making good progress. Zinchenko is a no at the moment, unfortunately, and is going to be a bit longer than we thought. Bakwa is still a no but is making good progress. I’m having to read them off a list so I don’t forget them.”
While Dyche stressed that “a few knocks” aren’t serious, the number of absentees will concern Forest fans as they prepare to host a Manchester United side looking to steady their own inconsistent campaign.
Forest’s Record vs Manchester United
Forest have enjoyed surprising dominance in this fixture recently, beating Manchester United twice last season — a 2–1 win at the City Ground followed by a memorable 1–0 victory at Old Trafford. Those results marked the first time Forest had completed a Premier League double over United since the early 1990s.
Saturday’s clash presents the opportunity to make it three wins in a row, though Dyche’s depleted squad faces a major test of depth and resilience.
Potential Return Dates
- Chris Wood – Expected to return for Leeds (9 November 2025)
- Ola Aina – Making good progress, potential late-November return
- Oleksandr Zinchenko – Out longer than expected, December return likely
- Angus Gunn – Knee ligament issue, no clear timeline
- Dilane Bakwa – Continuing rehab, could feature later in November
Dyche remains optimistic that Wood’s recovery will provide a timely boost for the upcoming Leeds United fixture, especially with Forest lacking an established target man in recent weeks.
Our View: Dyche Managing With Caution
In our view, Dyche’s decision to rest Wood rather than rush him back is a smart one. The 33-year-old’s aerial ability and physical presence are vital to Forest’s attack, but the club cannot afford a relapse of his knee problem at this stage of the season.
Forest have been compact and disciplined under Dyche, but with key attacking options missing, creativity may prove harder to find against a United team desperate to respond after a string of poor results.
Key Insights
- Chris Wood ruled out vs Manchester United, targeting Leeds return.
- Zinchenko, Aina, Gunn, and Bakwa all sidelined through injury.
- Dyche says several players are “making good progress” in rehab.
- Forest beat United twice last season and aim for a third straight win.
- Manager stresses the importance of “no more knocks” ahead of a busy November.
What’s Next
Nottingham Forest vs Manchester United kicks off at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, 1 November 2025, at the City Ground. Dyche’s men will look to continue their positive record against United before facing Leeds United a week later — a fixture that could see the long-awaited return of Chris Wood.
👉 Forest fans — do you think Dyche’s depleted squad can make it three wins in a row against Manchester United?
By John William — FootballPlace.co.uk ·
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