Carabao Cup: Nottingham Forest vs. Manchester United Preview, Odds, Predictions

Nottingham Forest and Manchester United meet in the Carabao Cup semis. These two teams have already won this trophy in the past and intend to do the same now. Forest is in problems when it comes to the EPL relegation battle. The newcomers in the league are barely above the red line, but it seems that their form is slowly going up. On the other end, United lost to Arsenal this Sunday, following a spectacle at the Etihad. The Red Devils play good football, though, in the past two games, they couldn’t end up on the winning end. Advance to the finals here would be a perfect way to heal these failures. 

Preview

Nottingham Forrest (+425) has had two defats since the World Cup ended. One of them was against United in the Premiership, and the other against Blackpool in the FA Cup. Other than that, the team from Nottingham was doing well.

We saw them winning against Blackburn and the Wolves in the EFL Cup, and those successes have brought them to the semis. Other victories have been against Southampton on the road; Leicester at home, and there were two draws, at home vs. Chelsea and in Bournemouth vs. Cherries, all this in the Premier League.

Four of the past six events Forest played were with under 2.5 goals, and honestly, those games were a bit dull. We also need to say that Forest hadn’t lost at City Ground for the past eight events, winning five and having three draws.

Manchester United (-166) failed to beat Arsenal in what could have been the turning point of the year for the Red Devils. That was a huge setback in their potential title run, and the Gunners are now in a far more comfortable position. 

Another slip was four days earlier at Selhurst, playing 1-1 against Palace, and allowing a late goal which was for sure a massive morale-killer. Up until this event, United had seven wins in a row across all the competitions, in all but one scoring two or more goals. 

Six of the last nine events the United participated in were with at least three hits. However, most were at Old Trafford, while two of three away from Manchester saw under 2.5 scores.

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There are plenty of absences on both ends. Awoniyi, Biancone, Henderson, Kouyate, Niakhate and Richards are all out due to various injuries. Yates is questionable.

Dalot, Greenwood, Sancho, Tuanzebe, and van de Beek are absent in Manchester, with Ten Hag probably leaving out Anthony Martial, who has been dealing with an injury for quite some time.

Head to Head

The most recent meeting between Nottingham and United was on December 27, and the Red Devils triumphed at Trafford, 3-0. Before that, it was in 1999 when United humiliated Forest at City Ground, 1-8.

Prediction

Forest is good at home, we have to say that. Yet, it won’t be enough to see them eliminate United, who might be in trouble right now, but, overall, has the quality to defeat Nottingham. The odds of the Red Devils’ winning are at -166, and that’s our pick here.

Pick: Manchester United wins -166