STAR FOOTBALL PREVIEW Sun: Nottingham Forest v Manchester City

Nottingham Forest and Manchester City go head to head for a place in the FA Cup final against Crystal Palace, writes WILLIAM KEDJANYI.

This has been a rollercoaster season for Forest, who enhanced their Champions League prospects with a 2-1 win at Tottenham on Monday. They are odds on for a top five finish – and just a single point behind third-placed City with a game in hand – and will have no fear of their more illustrious counterparts here on neutral ground either given a strong record against the leading lights in the Premier League this season.

Nuno Espirito Santo also has the benefit of top striker Chris Wood being back to full fitness, and a fully fit backline to protect the outstanding Mats Selz in goal, which is likely to be crucial for the test they face today.

At their best, Forest, one of three outright selections for readers of the antepost preview, can push City to the limit, although their performances in the FA Cup haven’t matched that. A soft draw has seen them reach the semi-final stage for the first time in over 30 years by beating Luton 2-0 and then winning penalty shootouts against Exeter, Ipswich and Brighton, when they defended manfully before taking the shootout.

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Nottingham Forest v Manchester City
FA Cup Semi-Final
17:15 ITV 1 HD / ITV X / STV / STV Player

LAST FIVE STATS

HEAD-TO-HEAD
MAR 2025 PREMIER LEAGUE Nottingham Forest 1-0 Man City
DEC 2024 PREMIER LEAGUE Man City 3-0 Nottingham Forest
APR 2024 PREMIER LEAGUE Nottingham Forest 0-2 Man City
SEP 2023 PREMIER LEAGUE Man City 2-0 Nottingham Forest
FEB 2023 PREMIER LEAGUE Nottingham Forest 1-1 Man City

NOTTINGHAM FOREST
APR 2025 PREMIER LEAGUE Tottenham 1-2 Nottingham Forest
APR 2025 PREMIER LEAGUE Nottingham Forest 0-1 Everton
APR 2025 PREMIER LEAGUE Aston Villa 2-1 Nottingham Forest
APR 2025 PREMIER LEAGUE Nottingham Forest 1-0 Man Utd
MAR 2025 ENGLISH FA CUP Brighton 0-0 Nottingham Forest

MANCHESTER CITY
APR 2025 PREMIER LEAGUE Man City 2-1 Aston Villa
APR 2025 PREMIER LEAGUE Everton 0-2 Man City
APR 2025 PREMIER LEAGUE Man City 5-2 Crystal Palace
APR 2025 PREMIER LEAGUE Man Utd 0-0 Man City
APR 2025 PREMIER LEAGUE Man City 2-0 Leicester

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Manchester City’s season has been a rollercoaster. Top after nine games and on course for a fifth title in a row, they fell apart in the early winter, losing nine times in 12 matches (all competitions), before a January transfer window refresh and a revival which has seen them effectively secure Champions League football and reach the semi-finals.

New signing Omar Marmoush – currently ? to score first with starsports.bet – has quickly clicked upfront, Kevin de Bryune is having a fine farewell season, James McAtee makes a big impression, and we are seeing a return to form for Bernardo Silva in the middle to boot. City may not have reached the heights of previous seasons, but they are looking more like themselves and have shown grit to get past Everton at Goodison Park and then to sneak past Villa earlier in the week.

Holding their nerve bodes well for today, an occasion which won’t overawe Forest but one that has become routine for City, aiming to lift the cup for a third time in four seasons, and that experience could prove crucial.

Guardiola has struggled at many points this season, but he has many options available to him if the game changes, and it’s possible that City could be better equipped for today. Rico Lewis, Jack Grealish, Phil Foden and Savinho were left on the bench against Villa, and superior attacking options combined with more experience could give the upper hand to Pep’s men.

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