Man City XI vs Nottingham Forest: Confirmed team news, predicted lineup and injury latest

Manchester City return to Premier League action on Saturday lunchtime with a trip to the City Ground to face Nottingham Forest, as Pep Guardiola looks to maintain momentum after the festive break.

City head into the fixture on the back of consecutive league wins over West Ham and Crystal Palace, scoring six goals without reply. Guardiola named the same starting XI in both matches, and there is little expectation of wholesale rotation despite the short turnaround.

Forest, now under pressure near the relegation zone after defeat to Fulham, are expected to make the contest physical — something Guardiola has openly referenced in recent seasons when visiting the City Ground.

Pep Guardiola will be without several first-team options. Rayan Aït-Nouri and Omar Marmoush are unavailable due to international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations, while injuries continue to limit City’s depth.

Rodri remains sidelined with a hamstring problem, joined in the treatment room by Mateo Kovačić, Jérémy Doku and Oscar Bobb. The absence of Rodri in particular has shaped City’s recent tactical balance, though results have remained strong.

There is some positive news, with John Stones nearing a return after a thigh injury. However, even if declared fit, he is not expected to start given the physical demands of the fixture and Guardiola’s reluctance to disrupt a settled back line.

City are expected to line up in a familiar 4-3-2-1 system, with minimal changes from recent league outings.

Predicted XI (4-3-2-1):
Gianluigi Donnarumma; Matheus Nunes, Rúben Dias, Joško Gvardiol, Nico O’Reilly; Bernardo Silva, Nico González, Tijjani Reijnders; Rayan Cherki, Phil Foden; Erling Haaland

Up front, Erling Haaland remains undroppable, having scored six goals in his last five matches. Behind him, Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki have developed a productive understanding, offering both creativity and late runs into the box.

Defensively, Guardiola is likely to trust the experience of Dias and Gvardiol against a Forest side that favour direct play and set-piece pressure.

City face a demanding run of fixtures heading into the New Year, with domestic and European commitments on the horizon. Maintaining consistency during this period could prove decisive in the title race, particularly with key midfielders still sidelined.

Forest, meanwhile, view home fixtures like this as vital in their survival bid, even if points against the champions would represent a significant upset.

Should Guardiola stick rigidly with his current XI, or is this the game to reintroduce John Stones?