Manchester United advanced to the Carabao Cup final with a 5-0 aggregate win over Nottingham Forest following Wednesday's second leg.
Carabao Cup
Result: Manchester United 2-0 Nottingham Forest (5-0 on agg.)
Date: 01 February 2023
Venue: Old Trafford
Man United made five changes to the side that won 3-0 in the first-leg, as goalkeeper Tom Heaton, Raphael Varane, Luke Shaw, Fred and Alejandro Garnacho came to the fore.
As for Nottingham, midfielder Jesse Lingard was originally in the line-up but got injured in the pre-match warm-up and could not face his former side.
Neither side was in control in the early exchanges, with sporadic attacks but Garnacho looked lively for Man United with threatening darts towards the box, with one close to earning a penalty.
Erik ten Hag's charges eventually settled in the game and Casemiro had a good chance on the half-hour mark after a well-weighted cross by Shaw towards the back post but his downward header was kept out by goalkeeper Wayne Hennessy with an out-stretched foot.
With Nottingham pinned in their own half, they were fortunate not to be 1-0 down on the stroke of half-time as Wout Weghorst had a glancing header that came off the bottom post after a cross by Casemiro.
Man United continued to take the game to their visitors from the interval and were forcing Steve Cooper's troops to make errors with a penalty appeal turned down after Scott McKenna clattered into the shin of Weghorst trying to clear a ball in the box.
There was still no letting up for the Red Devils just after the hour-mark, as Ten Hag brought the fresh legs of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Jadon Sancho to continue to put Nottingham under pressure.
The changes by the Dutch tactician had the desired impact, as Martial eventually broke the deadlock on 73 minutes and made it 4-0 on aggregate with a low strike from a rebound after Rashford's shot was blocked in the box.
Nottingham could not get out of their own half as Fred doubled United's lead and made it 5-0 on aggregate moments later with the easiest tap-in from after a clever cut-back by Rashford.
The Reds had a big chance in the dying minutes to score a consolation goal after Danilo broke through on goal but his looping shot was parried away by the high diving hand of Heaton, as the encounter 2-0 on the night.
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