EFL Cup preview: United look to finish the job against Forest
The Red Devils’ Brazilian contingent hit another three goals in their weekend FA Cup game against Reading, but they’ve probably already done enough in this cup tie considering United haven’t lost a home game by a scoreline that would see them eliminated here since October 2021.
Superstitious United fans may be wary of the bad omen a win could provide, as on the only three occasions that they did win both legs of a League Cup semi-final, they went on to lose in the final.
However, having defeated Nottingham Forest by a 3-0 scoreline twice already this term, United can now make history by beating the same side by 3+ goals for a third occasion during a single season for the very first time.
Steve Cooper’s Forest enjoyed the relative advantage of a fixture-free weekend due to their FA Cup elimination against Championship side Blackpool in January.
Hopes for progression here will be understandably small, but the Tricky Trees need all the encouragement they can get as they bid to become the first side in English footballing history to overcome a three-goal deficit in a League Cup semi-finals.
There have been a few historic Forest victories at Old Trafford that could spur them on, and would see them qualify if replicated, but the most recent of those big wins was courtesy of the Tricky Trees’ star-studded side of 1977 (4-0).
Emulating the legendary Brian Clough and his historic team - the one that went on to win two European Cups - is a huge ask for Cooper, but football is a funny old game.
Key battle: Laying on praise, Ten Hag claimed "I’m not Harry Potter" when asked about his influence on Marcus Rashford’s incredible return of ten goals from 11 games since the World Cup. But surely Forest keeper Wayne Hennessey will need a magic wand to stop Rashford in his tracks, given that he’s conceded at least twice in all but one personal H2H against the forward (D1, L7).
Hot streak: None of Forest’s last 16 League Cup away games ended level (W9, L7).
