Carabao Cup
Rashford strikes as Man United outclass Forest in first leg
Marcus Rashford continued his fine season as he scored again to help Manchester United beat Nottingham Forest 3-0 in their League Cup semi-final first leg on Wednesday.
England forward Rashford’s superb solo effort after six minutes, dancing past defenders before firing home, took him to 18 goals in all competitions this season. Only Manchester City’s Erling Haaland has more for a Premier League club in 2022-23.
Forest thought they had quickly restored parity at the City Ground after catching United out on the counter but Sam Surridge’s effort was ruled out for offside following a VAR review.
United capitalised on that reprieve by doubling their lead just before halftime, on-loan striker Wout Weghorst netting his first goal since joining the club after Antony’s shot had been well saved.
The second goal killed off Forest hopes of a comeback and Bruno Fernandes added a late third to keep United well on course to win their first trophy since 2017.
“I’m happy with the performance, over 90 minutes we controlled the game,” United coach Erik ten Hag said. “There was one moment which could have changed the game and we have to be aware of that and improve.
“In this mood and with this spirit, he (Rashford) is unstoppable. He can be creative in the final third, to do something in the final third, some crazy stuff, fantasy and adventure.”
United came into the contest having suffered their first defeat since November in all competitions at Arsenal on Sunday and had also lost their last three cup semi-finals.
Rashford gave them the perfect platform to improve that record, but Forest responded well, thinking they had immediately levelled, only for VAR to intervene, before the hosts created and wasted more chances.
The visitors produced a fine move to play Antony in on the half-hour mark, but the Brazilian was denied by Forest goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey, standing in for on-loan Dean Henderson who cannot play against his parent club United.
The next shot Antony had resulted in the second goal as his powerful effort was beaten away by Hennessey, but Weghorst, on his third appearance, was on hand to open his United account.
United supporters in the away end were singing “Wembley” at halftime and their dreams of returning to the famous old stadium for February’s final continued after the break.
At 2-0, Forest were not completely out of the tie, but Fernandes’s drilled finish in the 89th minute gave United the joint-biggest first-leg win by an away side in a League Cup semi-final and it would take a monumental collapse for Forest to turn things around at Old Trafford next week.
“Obviously, it was a disappointing scoreline,” Forest coach Steve Cooper said. “The last thing you want to do is go to Old Trafford with this result.
“Obviously, Rashford is one of the in-form players in the country, but for us to allow him to do what he did is not good enough.”
Newcastle United won 1-0 at Southampton in the first leg of the other semi-final.
-Reuters
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola wants defender Marc Guehi to be allowed to play in their League Cup final against Arsenal, saying the club will ask organisers to reconsider eligibility rules.
City booked their place at Wembley with a 3-1 home win over Newcastle United in Wednesday’s semi-final second leg, completing a 5-1 aggregate victory.
Competition rules make Guehi ineligible for the final because he featured earlier in the tournament for Crystal Palace, and joined City after the first leg of the semi-final.
“Why should he (Guehi) not play? Why not? We pay his salary, he is our player,” Guardiola told reporters.
“You buy a player for a lot of money and he is not able to play, for a rule I don’t understand. Hopefully they can change it.
“I told the club we must ask – hopefully we can convince the Carabao Cup that Marc can play the final.”
The League Cup final between City and Arsenal is scheduled for March 22.
-Reuters
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Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta said reaching Wembley for the first time since 2020 – thanks to a 4-2 aggregate League Cup semi-final win over Chelsea – would give his players a boost for a hectic season run-in.
“It’s the best vitamins we can put in our bodies because we are playing every three days,” Arteta told reporters after Arsenal beat their London rivals 1-0 on Tuesday to seal their place in the final of England’s second domestic cup competition.
The Spaniard said the prospect of a return to Wembley for the first time since he guided his team to victory in the FA Cup final – also against Chelsea – six years ago was magical, before adding: “Now we are going to have to go and win it.”
Arsenal had failed to make it through their previous four major cup semi-finals – two in the League Cup and another two in Europe – before overcoming Chelsea on Tuesday.
With the visitors desperately seeking the goal they needed to level the tie on aggregate, former Chelsea attacker Kai Havertz ran clear to score in the final moments of the semi-final second leg
The German has missed much of this season through injury and Arteta hailed his return to form.
“Today was a special moment for him and I hope that he fully enjoys it,” he said.
The Premier League leaders – who are also competing in the FA Cup and the Champions League – will face either Manchester City or Newcastle United who play their semi-final second leg on Wednesday with City 2-0 ahead from the first leg.
Chelsea coach Liam Rosenior said his players’ disciplined performance showed how much the team had developed since the chaotic 3-2 home loss to Arsenal in last month’s first leg, which was only his second match in charge after replacing Enzo Maresca.
“Ultimately their goal comes when we’re throwing the kitchen sink at the game. That’s going to happen,” Rosenior said. “We can’t let this setback affect our future. There were aspects of our game that I am very happy with.”
He said winger Pedro Neto and club captain Reece James had not made the squad on Tuesday after picking up “small knocks” and he praised 18-year-old Brazil winger Estevao who made a 48-hour round trip to Brazil for compassionate reasons but was back in London to come off the bench for Chelsea in the second half.
-Reuters
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Omar Marmoush scored twice as Manchester City set up a League Cup final date with Arsenal after a comprehensive 3-1 second-leg victory over visiting Newcastle United secured a 5-1 aggregate win in their semi-final on Wednesday.
The home side were ruthless in the first half as Tijjani Reijnders also got on the scoresheet and now face Arsenal at Wembley on March 22 in a battle between City manager Pep Guardiola and his protege Mikel Arteta.
“We showed a very good mentality,” Marmoush told Sky Sports. “We were together as a team, from the first minute, we were very focused on the job. We showed our mentality and passion, and are very happy to reach the final.
“We are here to win trophies. We give our best every day to reach these finals and win silverware. Hopefully, we can do it for all the new players and also the players that were here.”
Trailing 2-0 from the first leg, the last thing Newcastle needed was to concede early at the Etihad Stadium, but Marmoush’s shot deflected off defender Dan Burn and into the net inside six minutes.
The Egypt international added a second on the night with a close-range header from Antoine Semenyo’s cross. Marmoush has now scored 12 goals for City and five have come against Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium.
A rampant City scored a third before halftime and Semenyo was involved again as he created the chance for Reijnders to finish.
Newcastle pulled a goal back just past the hour mark when substitute Anthony Elanga showed quick feet to work a shooting chance and curled his effort past James Trafford in the home goal.
Elanga missed two superb chances to reduce the deficit further, one scarcely believable from right in front of the goal, while Erling Haaland brushed the post at the other end.
City won four League Cup titles in a row between 2018 and 2021 and have eight in all; only Liverpool (10) have won it more.
Arsenal have not lifted the trophy in 33 years and have two previous wins.
-Reuters
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