MANCHESTER UNITED completed the formalities at Old Trafford – now for an epic clash at Wembley.
Goals in the 73rd and 76th minutes from the fit again Anthony Martial and Fred completed a convincing 5-0 aggregate victory over two legs of this Carabao Cup semi-final.
So on February 26th Erik Ten Hag’s men will face Eddie Howe’s resurgent Newcastle at the home of English football with so much on the line for both clubs.
Victory in what is traditionally considered the least important of all competitions the big clubs enter is enormous on this occasion.
For The Magpies the Carabao Cup would represent a first trophy since the 1969 Fairs Cup and first domestic honour since the 1955 FA Cup.
It would be a massive step on the march of a giant that was snoring and is now roaring.
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For Manchester United the trophy drought has of course been nowhere near as long.
But for a club so used to wearing out the silver polish each season it seems like an age since Jose Mourinho paraded that Europa League trophy in Stockholm back in 2017.
That was the same year in which he also claimed this competition in a cup double perhaps still underestimated in the club’s recent history.
Mourinho never really got the credit he deserved given the unsavoury way his reign ended, as they so often do where the Special One is involved.
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There is a new special incumbent now in the hot seat and the faith and belief in where Ten Hag is taking this team is stronger than in any of the others who tried to follow Sir Alex Ferguson in the last ten years.
Still, all the good will in the world is worth nothing if the manager cannot give something tangible back.
That is why there was no messing as he sought victory in this semi-final tie even with a 3-0 advantage from the first leg at The City Ground last week.
While there were six changes to the United team from their Cup victory over Reading, including goalkeeper Tom Heaton getting a rare start, it was still a very strong line-up.
He clearly wanted any doubts about the destiny of this tie gone by the break but it would end level after 45 minutes.
Forest had given United a better contest than the 3-0 scoreline had suggested in the first leg.
Indeed but for a matter of inches and the VAR they would have drawn level at 1-1 in the first period of that game.
The game switched from end to end with first Antony sending a scorching volley just over the bar.
For Forest Brennan Johnson was looking dangerous and after evading Casemiro and forcing his way between two more United players his final shot was beaten away by Heaton.
Forest could have taken the lead just before the break had it not been for a block by one of their own players.
Johnson provided the cross, Emmanuel Dennis had the shot but it hit Sam Surridge in front of goal.
Then right on half-time Wout Weghorst, scorer in the first leg, came close to getting his first goal at Old Trafford with a header that hit the post.
Tempers became a bit frayed in the second-half when a coming together of Garnacho and Johnson saw a VAR check for a red card for the Forest player which he escaped.
Garnacho was not rattled and his quick feet beat Willy Boly but his near post shot did not evade Wayne Henessey.
That was his last action as Ten Hag made a triple substitution which saw this game over the line with Marcus Rashford introduced alongside fit again Anthony Martial, and there was a special reception for Jadon Sancho.
This was his first action since October 22nd with Ten Hag citing physical and mental issues for his absence.
Martial looked like he hadn’t been away despite not having played since the derby win over Manchester City on the January 14th, as he broke the deadlock on the night just 11 minutes after making his entrance.
Casemiro played the Frenchman through, he found Rashford whose shot was deflected and Martial was on hand to put away the loose ball.
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Three minutes later it was two as Bruno Fernandes’ cross was turned back across goal by Rashford and Fred turned it in for his second in as many games.
Job well and truly done and so to Wembley, to face The Toon.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
