Rashford continues goalscoring form as United take big step towards Wembley
ONE FOOT:Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes celebrates scoring his sides third goal with team mates during the Carabao Cup semi-final.
Marcus Rashford continued his goalscoring exploits, Wout Weghorst snatched his first for Manchester United: just two more highlights in an increasingly memorable season for his club, as Erik ten Hag saw them firmly plant one boot in the EFL Cup final.
With Bruno Fernandes grabbing a late third, United were left with a commanding semi-final lead, ahead of next week’s Old Trafford second leg, and continued the impressive impact being made by the Dutchman in his first few months in English football.
It was Fernandes who surely carried United through to Wembley, where they will meet Newcastle or Southampton, when he produced a lethal shot from just inside the area on 88 minutes, after Forest failed to stop a bright run from substitute Facundo Pellistri.
And now a cup success and top-four finish now look well within ten Hag and United’s grasp, particularly with the manager, still just six months into his reign, remember, having presided over such a stunning resurgence in the career of Rashford.
The build-up for United’s first visit to the City Ground in 24 years had been intense, the atmosphere suitably raucous, and when United took the lead after just five minutes, thoughts turned back to that meeting in 1999.
United, with a late young sub called Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scoring four times off the bench, won 8-1 that day and the first 10 minutes suggested that sort of outcome was not impossible.
Forest were stretched and stressed, far too error-prone and lucky to be trailing by just the solitary goal after the early exchanges.
And what a goal it was, after five minutes, as Casemiro’s clearance found Rashford 10 yards inside his own half and the in-form England forward clicked through the gears as he headed for goal.
Remo Freuler was left floundering in his wake so too, quickly, was the suspect Joe Worrall as Rashford skilfully carved out space, by skipping inside and hammering a left-foot shot past Wayne Hennessey from eight yards.
It was a stunning finish that summed up the incredible, on-going transformation that Rashford is enjoying under ten Hag: 18 goals for the season and 10 in 10 games since the World Cup, a more prolific strike rate than any player in Europe’s big five leagues is currently enjoying.
Only once in those 10 games has Rashford failed to find the net and his form, as much as anyone’s, has been key to the exceptional improvements brought about by his new Dutch manager.
And when Antony missed the target by inches moments later with a curling shot from the edge of the area, it looked as though Forest’s Wembley hopes were evaporating.
A Forest recovery, of sorts, followed, although it was not enough to deny United what looked like being a crucial second goal with virtually the last kick of the first half.
Casemiro again sparked the move, with a run from midfield and pass inside for Antony who was fortunate when his mis-control saw the ball sit up, allowing the chance for an 18-yard volley which Hennessey could only parry.
The ball fell directly to Weghorst who made no mistake with his first goal since joining the club on loan from Burnley, via Turkish side Besiktas, earlier this month.
It was a cruel blow for Steve Cooper’s side, not least because during an improved spell in the middle of the opening half, they thought they had equalised.
Forest launched an impressive counter-attack on 22 minutes with Morgan Gibbs-White playing what appeared a perfect pass for Sam Surridge to race away and place a superb finish past David de Gea.
A VAR check ended the delirious Forest celebrations, on and off the field, when it showed the striker was offside by a matter of inches.
That was the start of a brilliant spell by the hosts, regular finalists in this competition during the glory years of Brian Clough and four-time winners of it, as they laid siege to the United goal.
New Brazilian Gustavo Scarpo unleashed a side-footed volley from the edge of the area, which de Gea saved well, while Brennan Johnson threatened on a couple of occasions, forcing the United keeper into some sound handling.
But it was a different story at the other end where Forest were still defending poorly, and looking particularly shaky without on-loan United keeper Dean Henderson ineligible for the tie and, in any case, injured.
Just after the half-hour mark, Antony was clean through and denied only by the legs of Antony as United looked well placed to bounce back from the disappointments of last week when they conceded late goals in a draw at Palace and defeat at Arsenal and all but surrendered faint hopes of competing for the title.
A cup final, on the other hand, looks well within ten Hag’s grasp as he aims to deliver United their first trophy since Jose Mourinho’s League Cup-Europa League double in 2017.
Weghorst, whose short-term signing raised some eyebrows, might have killed off the tie completely early in the second half, although Scott McKenna made a well-timed covering block to deny him, as United continued to threaten.
And Tyrell Malacia’s cross was met by Bruno Fernandes who snatched at the effort and shot over, wildly, before Christian Eriksen thundered a shot against the home cross-bar and Rashford forced Hennessey into a save at the foot of his post.
Forest battled on gamely, long shots flying in from Danilo and Gibbs-White, but after a week of relative setbacks, and with an FA Cup fourth round tie with Reading looming at Old Trafford on Saturday, this was another step in the rig direction for ten Hag and United.
Hennessey 5; Lodi 5 (O’Brien 72, 5), Aurier 4, Worrall 4, McKenna 6, Lodi 6; Danilo 7 (Colback 58, 6), Freuler 6, Scarpa 7 (Lingard 63, 5); Johnson 6, Surridge 6 (Dennis 64, 5), Gibbs-White 8 (N Williams 73, 5).
Smith, Cook, Boly, Mangala.
De Gea 6; Wan-Bissaka 5, Lindelof 5, Martinez 8, Malacia 6; Casemiro 7, Eriksen 7 (Fred 71, 6); Antony 7 (Pellistri 71, 6), Fernandes 7, Rashford 7 (Garnacho 57, 6); Weghorst 7 (Elanga 85).
Heaton, Varane, B Williams, McTominay, Mainoo.
M Oliver 7
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