Surridge starts: The predicted Nottingham Forest XI to face Man Utd in the EFL Cup on Wednesday | OneFootball

Nottingham Forest face their biggest game of the season on Wednesday night.

Manchester United are welcomed to the City Ground for the first leg of this year’s EFL Cup semi-finals.

Forest have not reached this stage of the competition since the 1991-92 campaign in which the club finished as runners-up to the Red Devils.

While league form may have these two clubs competing at opposite ends of the Premier League table, these two games will be a clean slate from which the winner will earn a place at Wembley Stadium for February’s final.

United won the most recent fixture between the two last December, earning a comfortable 3-0 win at Old Trafford.

But Steve Cooper’s side will be looking to make it much more difficult for United on Wednesday night in the first of two games in quick succession.

Here is how we predict Cooper will line up his side for this midweek clash…

Dean Henderson will be absent due to being unable to feature against his parent club, although injury has him sidelined anyway, meaning Wayne Hennessey will step into the team in his place.

The back four is likely to remain the same as for last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Bournemouth, featuring Renan Lodi, Willy Boly, Joe Worrall and Serge Aurier.

In midfield, Cooper may opt to give a first start to new signing Danilo, having made his debut off the bench on Saturday.

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Ryan Yates is likely to lose his place for the Brazilian if he does get the nod, with Orel Mangala and Remo Freuler set to maintain their berth in the starting lineup.

Chris Wood is also ineligible to compete for Forest as he is cup-tied, meaning Sam Surridge may get a role back in the team alongside Brennan Johnson.