Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says Manchester United have "no excuses" heading into Wednesday's Carabao Cup clash against Manchester City as they look to reach a cup final at the fourth time of asking.

Having lost to Pep Guardiola's men in the final four of the competition last season, the Red Devils went on to lose at the semi-final stage of the FA Cup and Europa League.

But Solskjaer is confident of taking that important next step when leading in-form United into a fourth successive cup semi-final against rivals City at an empty Old Trafford.

"The next game is always important but of course a semi-final is a chance to get to the final, to get your hands on a trophy in the next round and for this team it would be a very, very big step getting your hands on a trophy," the United manager said.

"Then when this opening came, Darren has been away from the club a few years but then he's come back doing coaching with the 16s and with his experience of being here through both successful and difficult times, we felt it was right now for Darren to come in and give us that input.

"I think it's also important that we bring ex-players that have been somewhere else.

"I've been somewhere else after having worked under Mick Phelan, Sir Alex (Ferguson) and Carlos (Queiroz). We know one way of the coaching but they've been to different clubs and got different ideas.

"Fletch, with his ideas and thoughts will improve us in the backroom staff."