Blackpool

Holloway’s men hold a slender 2-1 advantage following Saturday’s first-leg at Bloomfield Road but know they will face a sterner examination when travel to the City Ground.

A draw will be enough to take the Seasiders through to Wembley and punters who fancy them to hold Forest can take a price of 5/2, while the win is 4/1.

Blackpool can take heart from the fact they have already beaten Forest on their home turf this season when a goal from leading scorer Charlie Adam earned them a 1-0 win and Holloway is hoping for much of the same.

“Forest know they are brilliant at home. They just know that. You only have to look at their record this season,” Holloway revealed.

“But we’ve got nothing to fear and we’ve got to go there and try to play. A little fillip for us is that we did manage to go there and win 1-0 earlier in the season. Whether it was luck or not, we did it.

“If we can get lucky in this next one then I’ll take it. But we can’t rely on that.”

Adam is 8/1 to bag the first goal, while punters who are predicting a repeat of events at the City Ground back in September can take a price of 50/1.

Forest are usually outstanding at home and are odds on at 8/11 to pick up the victory. They need to win 2-0 (6/1) to prevent it going to extra-time as away goals do not come into play, so it is sure to be an open game.

The last three fixtures between the two sides have also been high scoring affairs with three or more goals scored and punters can take odds of 11/10 on another goal fest.

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Steve Bruce

The west Londoners kick-start a potentially-pivotal day in the race for the Premier League title when they take on Liverpool at Anfield (1/2 Chelsea 6/4 Man United – Premier League outright).

Carlo Ancelotti’s men know nothing but victory will keep alive their hopes of a first domestic crown since 2006.

Bruce’s old employers are chasing an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League title – and record 19th domestic success – but must first hope their fiercest rivals down the East Lancs Road lend a helping hand.

Bruce has never managed a side to victory against Sir Alex Ferguson’s team in 14 attempts but has dismissed any notion of his players simply rolling over to accommodate United.

Significantly, Bruce, a winner of three Premier League titles and three FA Cup, as well as the European Cup Winners’ Cup, during a trophy-laden stint at Old Trafford, revealed the thought of a cake walk on Wearside would not have entered his old manager’s thoughts.

“The one thing I know after working with Sir Alex is that he won’t expect any favours because he knows that isn’t in the remit,” he said.

Chelsea and Aston Villa remain the only teams to have left the Stadium of Light with maximum points this season. The Black Cats have taken the prize scalps of the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham and Bruce is adamant his players will want to end their home campaign in style.

Sunderland also came within a whisker of beating United earlier this season before a last-gasp Anton Ferdinand own goal spared United blushes.

Bruce added: “We seriously believe we can win and we really want to win, too,” Bruce said. “All this stuff about just because I played there for 10 years I want to lose… What am I going to say to the players: ‘Oh, by the way lads, just forget it today?’”

Full-back Alan Hutton is suspended for the visit of United but fellow defender Michael Turner, who was substituted at half-time against his former club Hull with an arm injury, has returned to training.

John Mensah (hamstring) and Lee Cattermole (calf) have also trained in recent days and are in contention, but Andy Reid, who had surgery on a calf problem this week, is missing with George McCartney (hamstring).

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