Manchester United 2-0 Nottingham Forest: Red Devils reach the Carabao Cup Final!

Manchester United booked their place in the Carabao Cup final and set up a Wembley date against Newcastle United with a drab

Forest, coming into the game as massive outsiders thanks to their 3-0 home defeat a week ago, offered an improved first half performance and came close to taking the lead in the first half, with Emmanuel Dennis and Brennan Johnson both seeing efforts blocked.

United's, and the half's, best chance came at the end of the first half, however, when a header from Wout Weghorst rebounded off the post, and kept Forest in the tie.

The second half saw the Red Devils take control, and after seeing a strong appeal for a penalty turned down, the introduction of Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and the long-absent Jadon Sancho on the hour mark injected some much needed quality into the game.

Sancho in particular looked sharp operating in a more central position, and though there was more than an element of fortune about their opener, it was no less than Erik Ten Hag's side deserved.

Casemiro's pass was missed by Wily Boly, and though Martial fluffed his initial pass, the block deflected back into the path of the Frenchman, who found the bottom corner.

Casemiro forced a low save from Wayne Hennessey in the Forest goal with a downward header before Wout Weghorst went even closer on the stroke of half-time with a headed effort of his own from six yards out. The on-loan striker, who scored United's second goal at the City Ground last week, watched on in frustration, though, as the ball came back off the foot of the post.

Moments later, they had doubled their lead. A delicious pass with the outside of Bruno Fernandes' boot found Rashford at the back post, who passed the ball across goal for Fred to bundle home, and take the Red Devils 5 goals up on aggregate.

The handsome victory sets up the Carabao Cup final, where Manchester United will face high-flying Newcastle United on February 26th.