League Cup semifinal | Ten Hag on the hunt for first prize with Manchester United

The euphoria after the victory over Manchester City did not last long for Manchester United. A draw against Crystal Palace and defeat against Arsenal brought The Mancunians back down to earth. On Wednesday, a very important game in another competition awaits on Wednesday, namely the League Cup semifinal against Nottingham Forest.

Erik ten Hag seemed to be completely back in the title race with his Manchester United. The winning streak after the winter break was impressive, culminating in the home victory over archrival Manchester City. However, the title aspirations went as quickly as they came, after the draw against Crystal Palace and loss versus Arsenal. Two last-minute goals cost United five points in two games. That hit hard and Ten Hag was also clear in his assessment afterwards. 'We are not yet a top team,' was the Dutchman's clear stance.

Still, United can generally be extremely satisfied with the course of the season. The team are still in contention for a Champions League ticket, play FC Barcelona in the Europa League and still have a chance of winning both the FA Cup and the League Cup. In the latter, they plays the semifinal against humble Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night. The team is sitting in 13th in the Premier League. The last encounter between the two teams, at Old Trafford on Boxing Day 2022, ended in a 3-0 on a visit to Manchester.