Follow Sportsmail’s live coverage of the Carabao Cup semi-final clash between Manchester United and Nottingham Forest.
21min: Not too much happening on the pitch right now, neither much off it. It’s a bit quiet inside the ground and it’s not gone unnoticed by Forest supporters who chant: ‘Wel’ll sing on our own, Were Nottingham Forest, we’ll sing on our own.’
That’s what it sounds like to me – and at the very least is factually correct.
18min: Home fans want a penalty as Alejandro Garnacho goes down inside the box, but he goes down after hardly any contact from Neco Williams (below). Good call from referee Peter Bankes (who is from Merseyside by the way) to play on.
12min: Encouraging from a Forest perspective. Dennis, coming into the line-up late of course charges at the defence with purpose on the counter attack, beating his man as he cuts inside. But United have numbers back and the attack breaks down.
9min: Interesting passage of play there. Renan Lodi kicks Fred in the chest on the edge of the Forest box, goes down and then somehow wins a free-kick out of it. Hmmm.
6min: Still United have had all the ball, well 88 per cent of it officially, but you get the idea.
Bit of drizzle in the air this evening with rain falling, and we are now onto our second match ball after the one from kick-off has gone flat already – a sign of this cup tie maybe?
3min: United dominating possession so far but making sure they don’t get out of second gear. Not too much to shout about so far.
Context: No team has ever thrown away a 3-0 lead at home in a League Cup semi-final… over to you Forest.
A reminder of the team news:
Manchester United (4-3-3): Heaton, Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Martinez, Shaw, Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro, Fred, Antony, Weghorst, Garnacho.
Subs: De Gea, Lindelof, Maguire, Martial, Rashford, Malacia, Sancho, Pellistri, Mainoo.
Nottingham Forest (4-4-2): Hennessey, Williams, McKenna, Boly, Renan Lodi, Dennis, Mangala, Freuler, Gustavo Scarpa, Johnson, Surridge.
Subs: Cook, Worrall, Shelvey, Mighten, Aurier, Danilo, Hammond, Esapa.
Referee: Peter Bankes (Merseyside)
Not the loudest of atmospheres I’ve ever heard inside Old Trafford – but then events like this used to be the normal.
Alex Gibson-Hammond, 20, is the late call up to the bench for Forest – and is now in line to possibly make a debut…
Dreadful luck for Lingard who would have been desperate to play against his former side, but an injury means he has been replaced by Emmanuel Dennis.
A final bit of pre-match reading for you. It looks unlikely right now but Forest could reach their first final since 1992 tonight… where they were beaten in the League Cup at Wembley by Manchester United.
It was the beginning of the end of Nigel Clough’s legendary time as boss…
I’ve been far too harsh on Forest this evening. So time to rebalance the scales and look at their last win over United.
That was at Old Trafford when Stan Collymore (top and middle pic, and Stuart Pearce (bottom pic, centre) struck before Eric Cantona netted a consolation goal in a December 1994 FA Carling Premiership Premier League tie.
That Nottingham Forest away kit is a work of art by the way. Umbro’s early-to-mid 1990s templates are undefeated.
On a side note, see if you can spot Erling Haaland’s father, Alf-Inge, playing for Forest below…
That came slightly earlier in the ‘8-1 season’ when as Forest were on their way to Premier League relegation (of which they have only just recovered from) United were on their way to a treble.
They defeated Forest 2-1 at Old Trafford in November 1998 when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored twice on the hour before Steve Stone netted a consolation in the fourth round tie. The treble never did become the quadruple though with Fergie’s men beaten by eventual winners Tottenham Hotspur (yes, really) in the quarter-finals.
I’m not trying to be a disrespectful to Forest here but their record against United in their last few encounters is nothing short of abysmal.
In their last eight games going back to 1996, United have won them all, scoring 32 goals and conceding just three during that time. Of course I am factoring in the famous 8-1 win from 1999 during that time too…
United make five changes to the side that won 3-0 in the first leg although that includes Fred coming into the midfield at the expense of long term injury Christian Eriksen.
Tom Heaton is given a run out in goal in place of David de Gea while other changes see Raphael Varane, Luke Shaw, and Alejandro Garnacho come in for Victor Lindelof, Tyrell Malacia and Marcus Rashford respectively.
Forest opt four four alterations, bringing in Orel Mangala, Neco Williams, Jesse Lingard and Willy Boly for Serge Aurier, Joe Worrall, Danilo and the injured Morgan Gibbs-White.
Heaton, Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Martinez, Shaw, Casemiro, Fred, Fernandes, Antony, Garnacho, Weghorst.
Speaking of the League Cup final here is everything you need to know about the Wembley showpiece including if European football still rewards the winners and for the spreadsheet fanatics/bean counters among you – how much prize money is on offer.
Of course the winner of this evening’s tie will face Newcastle United in the final at Wembley at the end of the month, with the Magpies strolling to a 3-1 aggregate victory over Southampton last night while most of other fans were desperately scrambling for any deadline day news for their team.
If that was you, here is how the second leg at St James’ Park played out.
So let’s address the elephant in the room. United will NOT have deadline day signing Marcel Sabitzer available for them this evening.
The midfielder on loan from Bayern Munich simply signed too late yesterday to be registered in time for tonight’s game. Not quite a blow for Ten Hag but it would have been ideal for him to make his debut and dip his toe into the first-team to give him a taster of what to expect.
His time will come though.
Manchester United would have been big favourites to win this even if the scores were level going into tonight.
But their convincing 3-0 win at the City Ground means Forest really do face one huge mountain to climb if they are to reach their first cup final since 1992… when they were beaten by United in this competition!
Old man Ripley typing to you here insists you will miss them when they are gone… but then I still buy CD albums so what do I know?
6.10pm: United stars have already arrived at the ground
A keen bunch looking to book a spot in the final and they will be watched by former manager Sir Alex Ferguson this evening.
I must say they look an overall chirpy bunch, with David de Gea flashing a grin for the camera while centre-back Raphael Varane signs autographs for supporters outside the stadium.
Sir Alex Ferguson arrives prior to the Carabao Cup semi-final at Old Trafford
United stars including David de Gea also arrive before facing Nottingham Forest
Raphael Varane of Manchester United signs autographs for supporters outside the ground
6pm: How much of a chance are we giving Forest this evening?
Let’s be honest, betting against Manchester United at 3-0 up at Old Trafford isn’t the greatest idea in the world – but I guess you never really know in football.
Which is why we are all here tonight as I welcome you to our live coverage of Manchester United vs Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup semi-final.
Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes arrives at the ground before the game
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Man United vs Nottingham Forest – Carabao Cup; live score, team news and updates
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