Will United lack the final consistency in the semi-final second leg?
What is Jadon Sancho doing? The former Dortmund man has so far fallen far short of expectations after his move from the Bundesliga to the Premier League and has also been struggling with mental problems. The winger last played for Manchester United on 22 October. Although Sancho is now at least back in training, a comeback does not seem to be in sight yet.
And that’s despite the fact that the upcoming EFL Cup semi-final second leg would naturally lend itself perfectly to a quiet, pressure-free reintroduction to match action. Ahead of the Manchester United v Nottingham encounter, many bookmakers are no longer even offering bets on the English record champions reaching the final, as the relevant odds are in a devastatingly low range.
Background, of course, is the Red Devils’ emphatic 3-0 away win in the first leg a week ago, which has opened the door wide towards the final at Wembley Stadium at the end of February. Given the tight schedule of the home side, coach Erik ten Hag could therefore start the rotation machine and change his starting eleven in many positions. Because the favourites no longer have to win the second leg, the prediction on the double X2 chance between Manchester United and Nottingham could become more important.
Manchester United – Statistics & current form
For almost six years, Manchester United have now waited for a title win. In 2023 it could finally happen again. Especially in the Carabao Cup, the English record champions are already in the home stretch. After the aforementioned 3-0 win at Nottingham in the first leg, the final should be a mere formality on Wednesday evening in front of a home crowd at Old Trafford. Newcastle United, a complicated but by no means invincible opponent, would await Erik ten Hag’s team there.
However, before they can look forward to the title match in the capital at the end of the month, they still have to complete the 90 compulsory minutes. It will be interesting to see how motivated the hosts will be. Although it is a home match in front of their own fans, it will be a difficult mental task to ignore the starting position and to go to the limits of their own performance
Man United have been a little more vulnerable defensively of late
In view of the upcoming tasks in the Premier League, the Europa League and the FA Cup, we do not necessarily expect the Red Devils to go all out, but instead perhaps take the opportunity to get the necessary result with a C eleven, so the odds on a commanding home win between Manchester United and Nottingham contain no value in our eyes.
In view of this subjective and not data-based assessment, we do not attach too much importance to the statistics, which logically swing clearly in favour of Man United. Nevertheless, it is striking that ten Hag’s team not only conceded at least one goal in the last three Premier League games (five in total), but also failed to keep a clean sheet in the FA Cup match against second division Reading at home at the weekend, despite being outnumbered.
It is therefore conceivable to bet on both sides to score. Alternatively, betting on the underdog taking a 1-0 lead in the Manchester United vs Nottingham clash also offers attractive odds. As mentioned at the beginning, the Dutch coach will shake up his starting line-up. Garnacho, Pellistri or youngster Mainoo are options from the start. The frequent players around Bruno Fernandes, Christian Eriksen as well as Marcus Rashford could get a break.
Predicted Manchester United line-up:
De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Martinez, Varane, Shaw; Casemiro, Fred; Elanga, Fernandes, Garnacho; Weghorst
Last matches played by Manchester United:
FA Cup
29/01/2023 – Manchester United 3 – 1 Reading
Carabao Cup
26/01/2023 – Nottingham Forest 0 – 3 Manchester United
Premier League
22/01/2023 – Arsenal FC 3 – 2 Manchester United
19/01/2023 – Crystal Palace 1 – 1 Manchester United
14/01/2023 – Manchester United 2 – 1 Manchester City
Nottingham – Statistics & current form
Nottingham Forest have been able to attract sustained attention in the EFL Cup so far. In the second round, the Premier League promoted team eliminated Tottenham, in the quarter-finals Wolverhampton were eliminated after a hard fight. Manchester United, however, proved to be out of their depth in the one-sided first leg a week ago. After a 3-0 defeat at home, the underdogs will no longer have any realistic hopes of reaching the final.
Nevertheless, for the East Midlands side – 17 of the 34 players in the squad are senior internationals – the aim on Wednesday night is to maintain the current positive momentum, build confidence for the league tasks ahead and, at the same time, put on a good display in the Theatre of Dreams.
Nottingham want to stay in the flow
Things have been going really well for the Garibaldi Reds in recent weeks. Eight points were taken from the last four Premier League games. In terms of the table, the team of coach Steve Cooper improved to 13th place. They are four points ahead of the first relegation place. As part of this winning streak, the promoted team also scored against Chelsea. They have also managed to steal points from Liverpool so far this season.
Unlike the home side, who were in action at the weekend, the Tricky Trees had plenty of time to prepare for the EFL Cup second leg, having already lost out to Blackpool in round three of the FA Cup.
Despite the all-important home game against Leeds United next weekend, we therefore expect the best possible line-up, which further encourages us to predict a good result for the visitors between Manchester United and Nottingham with a certain degree of risk. On a positive note, Forest have gone three of their last six league games without conceding a goal, confirming their upward defensive trend.
Predicted Nottingham line-up:
Hennessey; Aurier, Worrall, Boly, Lodi; Mangala, Danilo, Freuler; Scarpa; Johnson, Dennis
Last matches played by Nottingham:
Carabao Cup
26/01/2023 – Nottingham Forest 0 – 3 Manchester United
Premier League
21/01/2023 – Bournemouth 1 – 1 Nottingham Forest
14/01/2023 – Nottingham Forest 2 – 0 Leicester
Carabao Cup
12/01/2023 – Nottingham Forest (4)1 – 1(3) Wolverhampton
FA Cup
07/01/2023 – Blackpool 4 – 1 Nottingham Forest
Manchester United – Nottingham Direct comparison / H2H record
For many years and decades, the two traditional clubs dueled in England’s top division. After almost 25 years without a direct encounter, their paths only crossed again in the current season. Both in the Premier League and in the semi-final first leg of the League Cup, the Red Devils had the upper hand with 3:0. In both cases, the favourites already led 2-0 at half-time.
If you want to bet on a maximum of one goal after the break in the third clash in five weeks between Manchester United and Nottingham, you can get solid betting odds of 1.80
Manchester United – Nottingham betting tips
There will be no great excitement in the second semi-final of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening. The first leg a week ago was too one-sided, with Man United winning 3-0 in Nottingham. Nobody doubts that the favourites will reach the final. But it is precisely this starting position that could lead to a surprise at Old Trafford.
Statistically and qualitatively everything speaks for United, but coach ten Hag will probably change a lot and give many youngsters in the ninth match in a month some time. The Tricky Trees, meanwhile, were able to rest at the weekend and will start with their best formation despite the hopeless constellation. In addition, there is the mental component, which will certainly make it difficult for the home side to reach their own performance limits.
We therefore try it before the match Manchester United against Nottingham with the tip on the double chance X2 and get for it a (much) too high 3.15 in the top. The visitors are unbeaten in four Premier League games and want to finally show their true potential after two 3-0 defeats against the record champions.
