Manchester United edged closer to securing a spot in the Carabao Cup final after defeating Nottingham Forest 3-0 in the first leg of their semi-final.
Carabao Cup
Result: Nottingham Forest 0-3 Manchester United
Date: 25 January 2023
Venue: The City Ground
Man United made three changes from the narrow defeat against Arsenal, as Casemiro returned after he was suspended from that game while Victor Lindelof and Tyrell Malacia were both given a run.
The Red Devils had the start they were looking for after Marcus Rashford gave them the lead within six minutes with a clinical finish from an angle after he cut in the box.
Forest were spirited going forward and Sam Surridge found the back of the net on 25 minutes with a strike towards the bottom corner after a through ball by Morgan Gibbs-White but the goal was chalked off by the Video Assistant referee (VAR) for a marginal offside.
As the game stretched from end to end, Antony had a glorious chance to double United's lead six minutes later after he was teed up clear on goal by Bruno Fernandes but was denied from point-blank by goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey, who was quick to close the angle.
Erik Ten Hag's charges gained much more control as the interval approached and Wout Weghorst eventually gave them a two-goal cushion and scored his first goal for the club just before the half-time whistle with a finish in the box from a rebound after Hennessey could not hold onto a stinging shot from Antony.
United continued where they left off coming from the break, as they put their foot on the gas and Christian Eriksen nearly put them out of sight ten minutes in with a curling strike that came off the post.
Forest had to settle for playing on counter-attacks and to get fresh legs going forward Steve Cooper eventually introduced Jesse Lingard against his former club in place of Gustavo Scarpa.
United were comfortable in the last 20 minutes, as Cooper's men found it hard to get out of their own half and to slow down the tempo of the game, Ten Hag brought on Fred in place of Eriksen.
Fernandes eventually put the result beyond doubt for the visitors in the last minute with a low strike past Hennessey after an off-load from Anthony Elanga found him unmarked on the edge of the box.
You must be SIGNED IN to read and post comments.
