Head coach Steve Cooper has named his Nottingham Forest team to face Manchester United in tonight’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg.
The Reds face a near-impossible task at Old Trafford as they go into the tie 3-0 down from last week’s reverse fixture at the City Ground. But Cooper has made it clear he is targeting a good performance in a bid to come away with a positive result, at least.
Forest make the trip on the back of a busy deadline day which saw them bring in three new arrivals to take their January total up to six signings. Felipe, Jonjo Shelvey and Keylor Navas all put pen to paper before the window closed.
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The trio will have to wait until the weekend to make their debuts, however. Cooper still has a significant injury list to contend with, with Morgan Gibbs-White the latest to be set for a spell on the sidelines, while Chris Wood is cup-tied.
The Reds boss makes four changes to the side which started against United last time out. Neco Williams, Willy Boly, Orel Mangala and Jesse Lingard come into the XI, while several young players are included on the bench.
Williams is set to take up the right-back spot, while Boly will partner Scott McKenna in the centre of the back line. Renan Lodi will make up the defence ahead of goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey.
Mangala comes into midfield, alongside Remo Freuler and Gustavo Scarpa. Lingard makes his first start since recovering from injury and will support Brennan Johnson and Sam Surridge in attack.
With Dean Henderson injured, Navas not available and Jordan Smith having gone on loan to Huddersfield Town, George Shelvey will be back-up goalkeeper. Steve Cook, Joe Worrall, Alex Mighten, Serge Aurier, Emmanuel Dennis, Danilo, Ollie Hammond and Detlef Esapa Osong make up the substitutes’ bench.
Forest: Hennessey; Williams, Boly, McKenna, Lodi; Mangala, Freuler, Scarpa; Lingard; Johnson, Surridge. Subs: G Shelvey, Cook, Worrall, Mighten, Aurier, Dennis, Danilo, Hammond, Osong.
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