Manchester United hold a 3-0 lead in their semi-final tie against Nottingham Forest. George Gamble picks out a best bet for the second leg.
1.5pts Manchester United to win to nil at 13/10 (General)
This one looks to be something of a formality as Manchester United look to defend and potentially extend their 3-0 lead in the second-leg of this Carabao Cup semi-final.
The Red Devils have been dominant on home soil having won each of their last 11 games at Old Trafford across all competitions and they will be expected to clinch another victory in this clash.
Steve Cooper claimed that his side suffered from “naivety” in the first-leg and bemoaned the manner in which his side conceded.
It means he now has to take them to the fortress that is Old Trafford and hope he can oversee a miracle. However, he’ll be aware that preserving Nottingham Forest’s status as a Premier League outfit is the primary objective and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see some rotation.
In domestic matches, the hosts have not suffered a home defeat since early August and that came in the shape of a 2-1 defeat to Brighton.
But it seems incredibly unlikely that Nottingham Forest will win here, let alone score three goals without reply to level the tie. In fact, it seems more plausible that Steve Cooper will look to preserve some of his key men for the Premier League as they look to finish above the relegation zone.
The visitors were unlucky not to get on the scoresheet in the first leg but a repeat of that scoreline wouldn’t be beyond the realms of possibility considering both of the two most recent meetings ended that way.
However, with the tie already looking over, and with priorities shifting, the 13/10 available on MANCHESTER UNITED TO WIN TO NIL here looks extremely tempting.
Only Newcastle United have kept more Premier League clean sheets at home than the Red Devils and considering the game state, another shutout for the hosts looks possible.
Score prediction: Manchester United 2-0 Nottingham Forest (Sky Bet odds: 11/2)
Odds correct at 1440 GMT (30/01/23)
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