Manchester United take on Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford on Wednesday night, looking to book a place in the League Cup final. The Reds enter the game with a 3-0 aggregate lead from the first leg, knowing that unless something goes wrong, they should advance to the final at Wembley on February 26th.
Erik ten Hag is expected to make several changes to his starting eleven against Nottingham Forest, with Tom Heaton, Alejandro Garnacho, and Anthony Elanga all expected to start.
The League Cup may not have been at the top of every Reds fan’s wish list this season, but it is now arguably United’s best chance of winning a trophy this season. With one foot already in the final, United have a great chance of winning the competition this season, and after not winning a trophy in nearly six years, it would be fantastic to see the Reds finally win some silverware.
Nottingham Forest have had a mixed season in their first season back in the Premier League, currently sitting in 13th place. Forest’s form had improved since returning from the World Cup, but after losing 3-0 last week, it would take something of a miracle to turn this one around, and given United’s impressive home form this season, nothing short of a United victory is expected on Wednesday night.
It won’t be easy, and Forest should make it much more difficult than they did last time, but this is a game I expect United to win, even if it is a much closer contest than it was at the City Ground last week. No team has ever been eliminated with a three-goal lead from the first leg of an EFL Cup semi-final, but the more superstitious Man United fans may not be rooting for a win here, as the Red Devils have lost all three of their EFL Cup finals when winning both legs of the semis.
The visitors to the Theatre of Dreams have had a full weekend of rest and preparation following their humiliating FA Cup third-round exit to Blackpool, but few Forest fans will be dreaming of a miraculous comeback on Wednesday night.
A semi-final exit would still be Nottingham Forest’s best run in the EFL Cup in 31 years, having reached the final of the 1991-92 edition before losing to Manchester United, but the steadily-improving visitors can still take advantage of any complacency from their more illustrious hosts.
However, Forest’s three-goal defeat in the first leg of their semi-final marked the Tricky Trees’ eighth defeat in a row against Man United across all tournaments, and the Tricky Trees have not returned home from Old Trafford with a victory since the 1994-95 Premier League season.
Team News
Manchester United
Diogo Dalot has had fitness issues since the World Cup, with a hamstring injury currently keeping him out, and he is a major doubt for this match. Anthony Martial was once again absent against Reading due to a leg injury aggravated during the recent Manchester derby, and the France international is a doubt for this match.
Luke Shaw has indeed missed Man United’s last two games due to illness, but the left-back could make his comeback against Nottingham Forest.
Nottingham Forest
In an eerily similar fashion to Eriksen, Nottingham Forest attacker Morgan Gibbs-White left the field with an ankle injury in the first-leg loss to Manchester United, and while the extent of the damage is still unknown, he is not expected to recover in time for Wednesday.
A crowded Forest treatment room also houses Moussa Niakhate, Giulian Biancone, Taiwo Awoniyi, Cheikhou Kouyate, Omar Richards, and Dean Henderson, the latter of whom would be unable to face his parent club anyway.
If Gibbs-White is ruled out, a spot for ex-Manchester United attacker Jesse Lingard or Emmanuel Dennis has opened up for the visitors, while Ryan Yates’ status remains unknown after missing the first leg due to illness
Predictions
Manchester United 3-0 Nottingham Forest
