50 PL Opponents: Middlesbrough to Nottingham Forest

To mark Manchester United facing a 50th different club in the Premier League, following Luton Town's promotion, we're recalling our record against each one and showing the highlights from some classic meetings.

MIDDLESBROUGH  

Middlesbrough were a regular opponent of the Reds up until their relegation following the 2008/09 campaign. They did reach the top tier once more in 2016/17 but were relegation instantaneously - though now under the guidance of former United maestro Michael Carrick, returning to the Premier League could very well be on the cards. There was scarcely a game in which more than two goals separated the two of us, leading to countless enthralling encounters over the years - United’s record, however, speaks for itself, with 18 wins in 30 meetings in Old Trafford and the Riverside Stadium. 

Classic match: Middlesbrough 3 United 4 (1999/2000)

One of those closely fought contests came in the 1999/00 campaign, when the Reds travelled to the Riverside Stadium having beaten Middlesbrough just a few months prior. Andy Campbell fired the hosts ahead, but Ryan Giggs equalised immediately after the half-time interval. Andy Cole and Paul Scholes put us 3-1 up heading into the final 10 minutes, with Paul Ince giving Middlesbrough a glimmer of hope with an 87th-minute strike, but that was soon quashed when Quinton Fortune added our fourth to render Juninho’s stoppage-time goal a mere consolation. 

Premier League record: 

Games played: 30 
United wins: 18
Draws: 7
Middlesbrough wins: 5
United goals: 53
Middlesbrough goals: 32
Top scorer: Ryan Giggs (7)

NEWCASTLE

The Magpies have proven themselves to be resilient opposition. The north-east outfit have suffered two relegations in the Premier League era - once in 2009 and again in 2016 - but returned to the top division at the first time of asking both times, as Championship winners. Across 56 games, the Reds have registered 32 wins against Newcastle - drawing 16 and losing eight. There have been plenty of enthralling clashes, including a 6-2 thumping at St. James' Park. Games between us and the Magpies scarcely lack entertainment, or goals. 

Classic match: United 4 Newcastle 3 (2012/2013)

Yet another 4-3 classic, this time against Newcastle in our title-winning 2012/13 campaign. James Perch got the visitors off to a flying start with a fourth-minute strike before Jonny Evans levelled the score 20 minutes later. Celebrations were halted minutes later, when Evans was on the unfortunate end of an own-goal that saw Newcastle restore their lead. Fellow defender Patrice Evra would get us back level in the second half, only for Papiss Cisse to fire the Magpies ahead for the third time in the game. Robin van Persie made it 3-3 minutes later, with Javier Hernandez coming off the bench to score a 90th-minute winner - pure drama and elation at the Stretford End. 

Premier League record: 

Games played: 56
United wins: 32
Draws: 16
Newcastle wins: 8
United goals: 113
Newcastle goals: 57
Top scorer: Wayne Rooney (13)

NORWICH 

The Canaries have had a fluctuating status in the top flight, resulting in us only facing them 20 times since the inception of the Premier League era. Of that, the Reds boast 16 wins, finding ourselves on the losing side on just three occasions. There have been plenty of dramatic wins, including last-minute winners from Ryan Giggs, plus a hat-trick from Cristiano Ronaldo in an end-to-end 3-2 victory during the 2021/22 season. 

Classic match: United 4 Norwich 0 (2012/2013)

Our biggest win over Norwich saw the Reds score four unanswered goals, something we’ve done twice against the Canaries during different Premier League stints. The first was among the more memorable, with a certain Shinji Kagawa writing his name in the headlines. He fired us ahead just before the half-time whistle sounded, adding his second in the 76th minute and eventually completing his hat-trick three minutes from time. Wayne Rooney added our fourth near to full-time to confirm a resounding victory at Old Trafford. 

Premier League record: 

Games played: 20
United wins: 16
Draws: 1 
Norwich wins: 3
United goals: 39
Norwich goals: 13
Top scorers: Ryan Giggs (4), Cristiano Ronaldo (4)

NOTTINGHAM FOREST

Nottingham Forest have played the Reds just 12 times in the Premier League, suffering relegation in 1999 and remaining outside top division for over a 20 years. They’ve beaten us just once, coming at Old Trafford, but the Reds have nine wins to our name and, since gaining promotion to the Premier League for the 2022/23 campaign, we remain unbeaten against them with two back-to-back victories last term. 

Classic match: Nottingham Forest 1 United 8 (1998/1999)

Arguably one of our best wins over Forest given the sheer amount of goals scored, 1988/99’s 8-1 thumping at The City Ground saw Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole scored a brace each. Ole Gunnar Solskjær tormented the Forest defence towards the end of the game, scoring a 10-minute hat-trick before adding his fourth mere seconds after his third. The scoreline made Alan Rogers’s sixth-minute equaliser feel a lifetime away by the time the referee sounded his whistle for full-time. 

Premier League record:

Games played: 12 
United wins: 9 
Draws: 2
Nottingham Forest: 1
United goals: 36
Nottingham Forest goals: 6
Top scorer: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (6)