Manchester United booked their place in the League Cup final, beating Nottingham Forest 2-0 at Old Trafford and 5-0 on aggregate after goals from Anthony Martial and Fred.
With both sides knowing the tie was effectively over, the first half took a while to get going, but as Forest grew in confidence the game intensified.
Brennan Johnson ought to have given them the lead on 34 minutes, shooting against Tom Heaton when in on goal, and on 43, Emmanuel Dennis shot against Sam Surridge when he too should have scored. In the final minute of the half, Wout Weghorst headed against the post, so the teams went to the interval goalless.
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In the second half, though, United’s class told, the introduction of Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial giving them fresh impetus.
Martial put the tie beyond even minor doubt shortly after coming on, then a fine goal from Fred gave United a 5-0 aggregate win and set up a final against Newcastle.
TALKING POINT
It is impossible not to be reliant on a player as good as Bruno Fernandes because that reliance is what makes a player that good. But where he has carried the team for three years, United now have others to take up the slack.
But the fact remains that during his time at the club, there’s been no real alternative to him and his workload has led to periods during which he’s looked tired. Well, perhaps Erik ten Hag has a new idea, because when Jadon Sancho was sent on tonight, it was to play through the middle.
This makes some sense. Sancho doesn’t quite have the power or pace to beat men on the outside – though perhaps, now fitter, he might improve in that aspect. Either way, though, he has the touch and imagination to conjure space and angles in tighter central areas, and he can also finish. Now United have so many wide options, perhaps his future is as an attacking midfielder.
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