Key occasions
Forest get the match restarted. No modifications. United are kicking in direction of the Stretford Finish on this second half, simply as they prefer it.
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HALF TIME: Manchester United 0-0 Nottingham Forest (agg 3-0)
Johnson and Dennis have had good probabilities for Forest, although it’s Weghorst who has come closest, hitting the submit simply earlier than the half-time whistle. Each managers can be happy with the way in which their aspect have performed, for differing causes, but it surely’s Manchester United who’re cruising in direction of a Wembley date with Newcastle!
45 min +1: Within the one marketed additional minute, Surridge is booked for a late and clumsy lunge on Varane.
45 min: United almost reply in good trend! Casemiro swings a cross in from the suitable. Weghorst rises unmarked on the penalty spot, and guides a almost good header throughout Hennessey and … off the bottom of the left-hand submit. Forest clear.
43 min: Forest have an opportunity to interrupt. Scarpa makes a run from deep however Dennis doesn’t cease him. No worries, as Forest come once more. Johnson skips down the suitable and reaches the byline. His cutback is deflected up into the trail of Dennis, ten yards out. Dennis swivels and sends a shot in direction of the underside proper. It’s heading in … however hits his personal man Surridge! What terrible luck for Forest … though Martinez was heading again in direction of the goalline and would possibly have cleared it anyway. Nonetheless, Forest have had a few huge probabilities now to open the scoring. In a parallel universe someplace, they’re 2-0 up and proper again on this!
41 min: Fernandes attracts an precise foul this time, from Lodi down the suitable. It is a free kick in a harmful place, simply to the suitable of the Forest field. “Forest are holding agency?” repeats DP. “Isn’t {that a} bit like leaving a porch gentle on for Lord Lucan at this level?”
40 min: Fernandes makes like Dennis within the Forest field. No post-sauce finger-wagging this time.
38 min: An attractive cameo from Antony. First up he outrageously hooks a ball seemingly destined for a aim sit back into play, forcing Boly right into a panicked clearance that ends in a nook. And from that, he sends a rising screamer millimetres over the bar from 25 yards. Had that been a number of inches decrease (apologies for the shift from metric to imperial) that was nestling within the high right-hand nook. It was a correct heat-seeker.
36 min: Dennis goes over within the United field. Martinez, the closest man, didn’t contact him. When Dennis will get again up, Martinez waves an irritated finger in his face. Dennis is lucky it’s only a finger, for he was actually attempting it on.
35 min: Fred is booked for a late lunge on Scarpa.
34 min: In spite of everything that’s occurred, it’s Heaton whose fingers are warmed first. Johnson bursts in from the suitable, previous Casemiro and Martinez and into the field. He opts for energy, when he actually ought to attempt to slot low. The keeper saves effectively, however shouldn’t have been given the possibility.
33 min: Garnacho takes benefit of a slip by Williams to make it to the byline on the left. He fizzes low and arduous in direction of Weghorst on the close to submit. Hennessey does very effectively to get down and bravely smother.
31 min: United are the higher staff, however Forest are holding agency. How they need to want they’d delivered a gap half hour like this final week.
29 min: Garnacho, ever busy, dribbles once more down the left and attracts a slipshod clip from Scarpa. Shaw curls the ensuing free kick in direction of the far stick. Casemiro rises on the far stick and heads throughout the face of aim. With Weghorst lurking, Hennessey kicks clear.
28 min: Shaw throws into the Forest field from the left. The ball rears up off the turf and onto Williams’ arm. United declare a penalty however the Forest defender had his arm in a pure place and was unsighted, so the referee isn’t .
27 min: United are starting to push Forest again now. The guests can’t get out. Shaw steams down the left and lays off to Garnacho, who has Weghorst and Fernandes within the center however can’t ship a cross.
25 min: Boly clears Shaw’s nook. In the meantime Ruth Purdue isn’t four-square behind Erik ten Hag’s choice tonight. “Look quantity for Bruno is 31 now this season for United. We’ve been right here earlier than with him and being knackered on the finish of the season.”
24 min: Garnacho wins the primary nook of the night down the left. Dennis ought to clear it however passes a wierd connection out for an additional nook, this time on the suitable.
22 min: Dennis and Fernandes tussle for the ball. The previous goes over, but it surely’s going to be United’s free kick because the whistle doesn’t go as he expects when he grabs the ball. Including damage to insult, Antony, additionally in attendance, leaves a sneaky one on the again of his leg. Naughty, naughty.
20 min: Forest had briefly threatened to get themselves into this recreation, however United have now regained their early management of midfield.
18 min: Antony cuts in from the suitable and sends certainly one of his trademark curlers in direction of the underside left. Hennessey reads the intention and smothers simply.
17 min: Garnacho drops a shoulder and tries to pores and skin Williams down the left. Williams isn’t having a bar of it, and stands robust. Garnacho goes over within the field, however he’s been eased off the ball legally, and his penalty request is kind of appropriately ignored.
15 min: A few fancy flicks from Fernandes, each with the skin of his boot, each down the left, the primary go releasing Shaw into house, the second almost releasing Garnacho into the Forest field. All of it ends in a aim kick for Forest, however the crowd loved that.
14 min: Scarpa hoicks it in. Varane heads clear with Surridge lurking, ready to go house. Forest asking a few (well mannered) questions right here.
13 min: Shaw is distributed into house down the left however shanks an uncharacteristically poor cross into the stand behind. Forest counter, Dennis drawing a foul from Antony down the left. A free kick, and everybody traces up on the sting of the United field.
12 min: Forest go up the opposite finish and put collectively their first passing sequence of the night. Dennis and Mangala each take into consideration capturing from the sting of the field however there’s not fairly sufficient room to take action. The ball’s shuttled broad proper for Williams, whose low cross is hacked clear by Martinez. “We’re gonna win 4-0,” quip the away followers by way of the medium of track.
11 min: Garnacho probes down the suitable however Williams and Freuler double up on him and there’s no route by means of.
9 min: United have loved almost 90 p.c possession to date … and but Forest can be pretty proud of the way in which they’ve began the sport. The hosts have to date been unable to place collectively something that appears vaguely harmful within the remaining third.
7 min: Antony and Wan-Bissaka mix down the inside-right channel, flicking the ball on for Fernandes, who momentarily seems like breaking clear into the Forest field. However he hesitates, permitting Scarpa and Mangala to dam his tried cross then shut him down. “I observed within the first leg some actual beef between Gustavo Scarpa and Anthony,” writes Simon Frank. “Maybe a Palmeiras / São Paulo factor? Some spice and crackle to look at for in what could possibly be a useless rubber.” The standard don’t-want-to-see-it, think-of-the-kids caveats apply.
6 min: An opportunity for Freuler to ship Dennis scampering into house down the Forest left. However his go is overhit and the ball skids off the moist turf. Throw.
4 min: Forest lastly get a go of the ball. Scarpa shields it, and by chance swings an arm into Casemiro’s face. A sore one, however Casemiro isn’t in any respect aggravated, and the gamers trade pleasantries quickly after.
3 min: In different breaking information, it’s raining in Manchester. Forest nonetheless haven’t bought their foot on the ball.
2 min: Forest are kicking in direction of the Stretford Finish on this first half. Technically talking. They haven’t taken possession of the ball but.
Manchester United, 3-0 up after the primary leg, get the second leg underway. They’re 90 minutes away from a Wembley remaining in opposition to Newcastle United.
The groups are out! Manchester United in crimson, white and black; Nottingham Forest in second-choice yellow and blue. Forest have been compelled right into a late change, with Jesse Lingard choosing up an damage within the warm-up. Unhappy for Lingard, on his return to his previous stomping floor, however a possibility for Emmanuel Dennis, who takes his place within the beginning XI. As native breathy emoter Ian Brown warbles by means of the PA: That is the One. We’ll be off in a minute or two!
Tense, nervous headache forward of a significant semi-final? Let new-age guru Peter Oh soothe your troubled thoughts! “When issues are ugly on the earth, it’s useful to meditate on one thing lovely,” he begins, to a soundtrack of tinkling water and pan pipes. “The Nottingham Forest crest, for example. A tree and a river, watched over by two tastefully positioned stars. Life-giving, easy, lovely. On the opposite aspect, a stylised trident-wielding satan. It’s mainly good versus evil tonight. Come you Difficult Timber! Seize a difficult three and ship this factor into additional time!” Within the pursuits of steadiness, and on instruction from our attorneys, the Guardian wish to make clear that Manchester United should not, nor do they symbolically signify, evil. However Peter’s proper about one factor: that Forest crest is an all-time basic. Sure emblem!
Erik ten Hag talks to Sky. “The place is sweet however there’s nonetheless a recreation to go … it’s 0-0 once more … and we’ve got to make use of the sport to get additional on within the course of … we’ve got a robust choice and a superb staff … we’re bringing some participant again however not an excessive amount of … it’s good for the staff to have Jadon Sancho and Anthony Martial again … we’ll want them for all of the video games developing … however first we deal with this recreation and we’ve got to get to the ultimate … Casemiro and Fred can take care of many video games, they’re used to it, and we’re proud of this … we’ve got to keep away from complacency … we’ve got excessive calls for and excessive requirements.”
Steve Cooper talks to Sky Sports activities. “The duty is clearly large … a mountain to climb … what we’ve got to deal with is attempting to place in a greater efficiency, a optimistic efficiency … not simply than final week however after we performed United right here earlier than … you get a optimistic efficiency after which you have got an opportunity of a optimistic end result, and you then by no means know, however we’re not fascinated with that … we’re solely targeted on tonight … it’s all the time been our mantra … it’s fairly straightforward to suppose past that however we’re not going to … we’re not wanting additional ahead as a result of you possibly can’t, it’s such a tricky recreation, United at Outdated Trafford.”
It’s honest to say Nottingham Forest have all of it to do that night. Having misplaced the primary leg on the Metropolis Floor 3-0, likelihood is Manchester United will make it by means of to the ultimate tonight. Nevertheless, the end result Forest are trying to find shouldn’t be unprecedented. In December 1977, Brian Clough took his newly promoted staff to Outdated Trafford as shock mid-season leaders of the First Division. Dave Sexton’s hosts had been hopeful of inserting themselves into the title race. What occurred that afternoon despatched shockwaves up and down the division, and Forest on an inexorable run to the title (with the small matter of a few European Cups to comply with). “By no means can Manchester United have been so humiliated in entrance of their very own crowd,” wrote Ronald Atkin within the Observer of Forest’s jaw-dropping 4-0 win. “Forest, constructing neatly from midfield in entrance of an stubborn again line which gave Peter Shilton an industry-free match, took measure of United’s defence then contemptuously tore it to items.” A efficiency for the ages. And what a staff! How they may do with John Robertson, Tony Woodcock and Archie Gemmill tonight.
Manchester United make 5 modifications to the beginning XI chosen for the primary leg on the Metropolis Floor. Tom Heaton replaces David de Gea in aim, whereas Fred, Raphael Varane, Luke Shaw and Alejandro Garnacho additionally step up. De Gea drops to the bench together with Victor Lindelof, Tyrell Malacia and Marcus Rashford; Christian Eriksen is out injured till Might. Jadon Sancho can be named as a sub, hoping to be eased again into motion after a protracted lay-off.
Nottingham Forest make 4 modifications to final week’s beginning choice. Orel Mangala, Neco Williams, Willy Boly and former United star Jesse Lingard exchange Joe Worrall, Serge Aurier and Danilo, who drop to the bench, and the injured Morgan Gibbs-White.
The groups
Manchester United: Heaton, Wan-Bissaka, Martinez, Varane, Shaw, Fred, Casemiro, Fernandes, Antony, Garnacho, Weghorst.
Subs: De Gea, Lindelof, Maguire, Malacia, Mainoo, Pellistri, Martial, Rashford, Sancho.
Nottingham Forest: Hennessey, Williams, McKenna, Boly, Lodi, Freuler, Scarpa, Mangala, Lingard, Johnson, Surridge.
Subs: G Shelvey, Cook dinner, Worrall, Mighten, Aurier, Dennis, Danilo, Hammond, Osong.
Preamble
Final week this occurred …
… rendering this second leg little greater than a procession. The next 90-minute train in I-dotting and T-crossing will verify Manchester United’s place within the 2023 League Cup remaining in opposition to Newcastle United; if we’re mistaken, we’ll have witnessed a match they’ll be speaking about in Nottingham for a very very long time. Kick off is at 8pm GMT. It’s on!
