Manchester United
Manchester United is looking to win their first silverware since May 2017 through their League Cup campaign, having earned a place in the FA Cup 5th Round with a home win over Reading. They hold a comfortable 0-3 lead in their League Cup Semi Final against Nottingham Forest and will play at Wembley Stadium on February 26th if they win. They are favourites to reach the first domestic final of the season.
Manchester United had some setbacks in the Premier League in late January but bounced back with wins over Nottingham Forest and Reading. They have a 11-game winning streak at Old Trafford in all competitions, and have been scoring heavily in front of the home crowd.
February is a busy month after a packed January and the team is being stretched to its limits. Diogo Dalot and Anthony Martial are likely to miss, while Luke Shaw, Scott McTominay and Jadon Sancho are uncertain. Christian Eriksen has an injury that may keep him out for a while. Potential starters include Brandon Williams, Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, Alejandro Garnacho, and Fred.
Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest was put in a difficult position by conceding early in their League Cup Semi Final match. Steve Cooper may be frustrated with their performance at the end of both halves, as lapses in concentration have likely cost them the tie. Overtaking a 0-3 deficit may require a miracle.
The manager is continuing to bring in players to strengthen the squad that will focus on keeping Nottingham Forest in the Premier League. They have had a week to prepare for the Second Leg, but will likely need to take some early risks to get back in the game. Despite wins against Grimsby Town and Blackburn Rovers in the League Cup, this match will be a big step up in level.
Nottingham Forest have won 1 of their last 5 games and have a crucial Premier League match on Sunday. They managed a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth in their last away game, but were eliminated from the FA Cup after a 4-1 loss at Blackpool.
Morgan Gibbs-White suffered an injury in the First Leg and may not play. Dean Henderson is unavailable and a replacement has not been signed, so Wayne Hennessey will remain in goal.
Head to Head
Manchester United beat Nottingham Forest 3-0 at Old Trafford in the Premier League before the 0-3 win at the City Ground last week. This victory in December extended their winning streak against Nottingham Forest to 5 games at home.
TWV Sport Team Thoughts
Erik ten Hag has an opportunity to rest some players with a busy schedule in February and March, but injuries are limiting the Manchester United squad. This may result in key players such as Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford having to play, despite upcoming important matches in the Premier League and Europa League.
Erik ten Hag will aim for a strong performance from Manchester United to prevent Nottingham Forest from getting back into the game. Manchester United’s 11-game winning streak at Old Trafford will boost their confidence and they have been scoring many goals at home, as evidenced by their 3-1 victory over Reading in the FA Cup Fourth Round.
Steve Cooper acknowledges that Nottingham Forest face a difficult challenge at Old Trafford, but hasn’t given up hope. His main goal is to ensure survival in the Premier League, and he may opt to rotate his squad with an upcoming match against Leeds United in mind. Although Nottingham Forest had more time to prepare after not playing this weekend, Manchester United are expected to maintain their momentum at Old Trafford and exploit weaknesses in the Forest defence to secure a place in the League Cup Final with another strong victory.
Match Result Prediction
Manchester United to win.
Score Prediction
Manchester United 2 – 0 Nottingham Forest
