Nottingham Forest are being warned that the season pausing for the World Cup will have helped manager Erik ten Hag 'refine' Manchester United ahead of the Reds' trip to Old Trafford.
After a wretched start to the season, Man United have lost just twice since mid-August and recovered to sit fifth in the Premier League table before the season's pause. While they did have 13 players at the tournament, almost triple the number Forest had away, it did afford Ten Hag a second training camp with some of the squad mid-way through the new manager's first season in charge.
Reds head coach Steve Cooper also enjoyed a similar opportunity to further settle the club's summer signings. Whether the tournament has been a help or a hinderance, as Premier League pundit Mark Lawrenson puts it, for Forest remains to be seen.
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The long-time former Liverpool defender believes Man Utd fall into the former and that the first signs of that will be on show the day after Boxing Day. "For some teams, the World Cup has been a hinderance, and for others, it’s been a help, and I would put Manchester United in the second category," Lawrenson told Paddy Power.
"Erik ten Hag will have refined them, and there’s no Cristiano Ronaldo skulking about the place. I don’t think they’ve suffered any big injuries at the World Cup, so 2-0 to United."
What do you think, will the World Cup break help or hinder Forest? Have your say in the comments and let us know why...
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