Erik ten Hag has taken just six months to get Manchester United dreaming again.
The away end were singing about Wembley, United have got one foot in the final and have come such a long way in a short space of time under Ten Hag. United have not won any silverware since 2017 - their longest trophy drought in 40 years - and yet they have got that swagger and self-belief back.
Marcus Rashford is on an incredible scoring streak - it is now 10 goals in 10 games since the World Cup - and Wout Weghorst scored his first goal since joining United on loan. Ten Hag signalled his intentions with a strong team and got his just reward when Bruno Fernandes drove home a third in the dying minutes to as good as wrap up the tie.
United boss Ten Hag gave an impassioned speech on the eve of the game about how much he wants Rashford to stay and commit his future because he wants to build the best team in the world.
They are some distance from that just yet and the Carabao Cup might not be enough to satisfy United fans hungry for bigger trophies. But winning becomes infectious and Ten Hag is building foundations for success and the feeling that United are a force to be reckoned with again whenever they roll into town.
There was Sir Alex Ferguson sat in the stands at the City Ground, smiling and enjoying the night at the stadium where defeat in the FA Cup 30-odd years ago might have ended his reign at Old Trafford before the glory years began.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Who was man of the match as Manchester United defeated Nottingham Forest? Comment below.
It never remotely looked like an upset was on the cards and the closest we came to a Forest fightback was when VAR ruled out Sam Surridge’s effort when the score was still 1-0. United were in cruise control, they looked a class apart and had the job done by the interval, which meant the second half was a mere precession.
They have still got the return leg at Old Trafford next week but it is hard to see Nottingham Forest pulling off a miraculous fightback, no matter their sharp improvement in recent weeks under Steve Cooper.
There were too many clumsy mistakes and there was too much space for United to wreak havoc, score goals and roar back after their defeat at Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.
United were ahead after just six minutes and the goal typified Rashford’s recent form because he just looked unstoppable.
The Englishman broke from his own half, Forest never got remotely close to putting in a tackle and somehow the United No.10 darted between Joe Worrall and Remo Freuler and into the box before smashing a shot past Forest goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey.
Forest showed flashes and England boss Gareth Southgate must have been impressed by Morgan Gibbs-White while watching from the stands. Elsewhere, Wales youngster Brennan Johnson is showing he is a huge talent.
Gibbs-White set up Surridge who put the ball in the net but VAR showed the Forest striker had drifted half a yard offside, and that was as close as the home side came.
Forest were desperate to keep the tie alive but United got a second just before half-time. Casemiro drove forward, Antony saw his shot parried away by Hennessey and Weghorst was first to react and score from the rebound and get his first goal for United.
It was 3-0 in the 89th minute as substitute Anthony Elanga battled, laid it off for Fernandes and the Portugal midfielder drove home a low shot to chop down Forest.
