In the opening minutes of play, Nottingham Forest has tries to press high, but United has been on top for most part of it so far. Forest has gone with man-to-man marking with one red shirt behind every United player in its half.
Nottingham Forest and Manchester United meet in the first leg of the League Cup semifinals. United has reached the semifinals of the competition for the third time in four years — it was knocked out at that stage by Manchester City in 2020 and 2021 — as the club looks to claim a first major trophy since 2017.
United was on a nine-match winning run in all competitions before last week, when it drew at Crystal Palace and then lost at Arsenal in the league.
Forest, which hosts the first leg at the City Ground, was a four-time League Cup winner under Brian Clough between 1978-90 and is in the semifinals for the first time in 31 years. Forest has lost only two of its last 11 games in all competitions as its slew of new signings start to gel. One of those losses was against United, though, 3-0 in the Premier League.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag said Marcus Rashford is central to his plans to make them the “best club in the world” and urged the forward to remain at Old Trafford to realise his ambitions.
United last won the Premier League in 2013 and have not won silverware since lifting the Europa League trophy in 2017. It is their worst trophy drought in 40 years but there have been signs of progress under Ten Hag.
England forward Rashford, 25, has been a key factor in their revival, scoring nine times in nine games since returning from the World Cup to take his tally to 17 in all competitions.
“I think he understands Man United is his club,” Ten Hag told reporters. “But also, in this environment, in this team, he is playing his best football.
“He can bring in his qualities and this team can help him get in the right position and to score goals. He knows that he is important for us.
“If we want to get the success we want, we need him.”
United triggered a one-year extension on Rashford’s contract, which will now expire in 2024, amid interest from Ligue 1 champions Paris St Germain in December.
“I hope that all our players get an interest from clubs because that means we do a good job, the team is outperforming, so that is what we are aiming for,” Ten Hag said.
“I would say this is the best place to be because we want to construct the best team, first in England and then in Europe and then in the world.”
United visit Nottingham Forest in the League Cup semi-final first leg later on Wednesday.