After a turn-out of 52,495 for the tie against Bury in the previous round, Manchester United were major box office again last night when 37,237 people watched them reach the quarter-finals.

But their second-string often found themselves in knots before two Ole Gunnar Solskjaer goals preserved their record of never having lost a fourth-round League Cup tie at home.

"My team selection does not mean I don't value the competition," said Alex Ferguson before the game. "I am taking it very seriously indeed." But the inclusion of Nicky Butt for Philip Neville was the only change from the United manager's shadow team which finally ousted Bury in the previous round.

Several patched-up areas of turf were indications of the repair work carried out since the turgid 0-0 draw with Newcastle last Sunday.

Early on Pierre van Hooijdonk, who began on the bench, witnessed Steve Stone sending Marlon Harewood into space on the right but Raimond van der Gouw dived to get a touch on his skimming shot, at the expense of a corner. The Dutch goalkeeper was not fooled, either, by a quickly taken free-kick by Chris Bart-Williams, lunging to save at the foot of a post.

Around the hour mark the Cruyff-Solskjaer combination burst into activity with two goals in four minutes. Each time the measured passes of the Dutchman split the defence, leaving the Norwegian to glide through, draw Beasant and place his shots beyond the goalkeeper.

Van Hooijdonk's appearance coincided with an explosive riposte by Forest. Seconds after Scot Gemmill saw Van der Gouw tip his long shot over the crossbar, Stone picked up a loose ball and fired home a fierce cross shot from 25 yards.

Manchester United (4-4-2): Van der Gouw; Clegg, May (Wallwork), Berg, Curtis; Cruyff, Wilson, Butt, Mulryne; Solskjaer, Greening.

Nottingham Forest (4-4-2): Beasant; Louis-Jean, Chettle, Armstrong, Rogers; Stone, Gemmill, Bart-Williams, Gray; Freedman, Harewood (Van Hooijdonk, 62).

Referee: J Harris (Oxford).