Nottingham Forest manager, Steve Cooper has been speaking to the media ahead of his side’s game against Manchester United at the City Ground tomorrow night and he says that he will use the club’s history as motivation to help his side win the League Cup.
Forest, who reached the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup after knocking out Wolverhampton Wanderers on penalties, have won the competition four times in their history, as well as winning two European Cups and a league title under the legendary Brain Clough as manager.
Cooper was asked about how important the club’s history when preparing to face crunch semi-final clash against Manchester United, which will be Forest’s first semi-final appearance in any major competition in 23 years.
“I think we embrace it.
“We try not to (let) it be a hindrance or an added pressure. We want to use it as a motivation, to understand who we are and what we represent.
“I’ve said from the moment I walked in (in September 2021), you can’t get away from the history of this club, and you shouldn’t, so embrace it, represent it as best you can, but in a modern way, in a way that we’re trying to look forward, trying to create new eras, positive eras, new moments.
“I think that’s a good balance. This club is what it is because of its history and we should always be proud of that” [via Independent].
If Forest are to create history and defeat a Manchester United side, who have lost once in 11 matches in all competitions over two legs, then they will have to do so without Dean Henderson as even though he is injured, he would have not been able to play against his parent club, which will be a blow for Cooper and his team.
With so much at stake for both teams, this promises to be an exciting game and the first-leg at the City Ground gets underway tomorrow night at 8pm, whilst the return leg will take place at Old Trafford a week later on the 1st of February.