Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest LIVE: Premier League latest ...
A general view of Etihad Stadium (Getty Images)
Follow live coverage as Manchester City face Nottingham Forest today in the Premier League. Another top-flight season will be covered in full right here with The Independent, as reigning champions Manchester City look to make it an unprecedented five titles in a row come the end of 2024/25.
The likes of Arsenal and Liverpool will be chasing Pep Guardiola's side, but just as fascinating will be the race for Champions League places, with more teams than ever before having designs on top-four finishes. Chelsea remain big-spending, Manchester United's latest rebuild continues and both Tottenham and Newcastle will expect improvements this year - yet it was Aston Villa who snared fourth last term.
Meanwhile, it's Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich Town who made it back to the elite after promotion last year and each will have hope they can make it more than a one-year stay. Follow the latest live action from the Premier League below:
Manchester City FC 3 - 0 Nottingham Forest FC
21:26
FULL-TIME: MANCHESTER CITY 3-0 NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest21:24
Morato clears some City danger behind and a corner is played short from the right. City's closing possession resumes.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest21:23
Haaland is played in down the left channel and goes for the lob. However, his effort is far too high.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest21:21
The substitutes will get to play five minutes of added time here at the Etihad.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest21:20
Substitution Nathan Benjamin Aké James John McAtee
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest21:20
Substitution Jack Peter Grealish Matheus Luiz Nunes
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest21:20
After pulling up following a challenge with Awoniyi, Ake receives treatment and looks to be making way here. This isn't good for Pep, as he's already light on defenders...
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest21:20
Substitution Jérémy Baffour Doku Sávio Moreira de Oliveira
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest21:19
Doku! The Belgian dances diagonally towards goal from the left side and rushes through about four red shirts as City want four. He gets to just outside the six-yard box but blasts high of the top-right corner.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest21:16
Sosa gives away a foul as City just pop it around the men in red. The visitors are practically chasing shadows as this one winds down.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest21:15
Doku keeps the ball in as he chases the ball on the left. He finds Grealish on the edge as City look for a fourth, yet Forest force them backwards.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest21:14
Well, there you go! Anderson jinks forward and tries to pick his spot with the inside of his right foot. It's straight at Ortega, but still, a shot on target!
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest21:12
Bleak reading for Forest fans... Their side's last shot on target in this game came in the 17th minute from Gibbs-White.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest21:11
Gundogan takes the corner, yet Anderson clears for the visitors. Elanga tries to outmuscle Grealish before the ball falls to Walker and he pumps it upfield and out of danger.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest21:11
Grealish gets played into the box and it runs to the left byline. Da Silva Moreira is there to usher it behind but it's a corner.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest21:09
Approaching the final ten minutes in this one, full-time will show Nottingham Forest having lost their last five away league games against Man City by an aggregate score of 15-0...
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest21:06
Elanga! Gundogan is robbed by Anderson in the middle and Awoniyi strides away before getting the ball over to the Swedish winger on the left. He opens his body and fires back across looking for the top-right corner, but it's just over!
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest21:05
Yellow Card Nikola Milenković
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest21:05
Grealish! The England man pulls off a brilliant one-two with Haaland inside the left of the area, yet fires straight at Sels. Ake comes running in for the scraps, yet the keeper gathers.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest21:04
Substitution Kevin De Bruyne Rico Henry Mark Lewis
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest21:02
Substitution João Pedro Ferreira Silva Ramón Sosa Acosta
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest21:01
Elanga's delivery from the free-kick on the left goes all the way through the bodies and Ortega has to react, saving it in the end with his chest.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:59
City continue to look perfectly capable of grabbing another goal here. Grealish finds an effort blocked on the edge of the area.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:59
Yellow Card Bernardo Mota Veiga de Carvalho e Silva
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:57
After Forest deal with the resulting corner, they try to get a composed foot back on the ball. Well, they try to, until Silva wins the ball back and now it's back to Ortega.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:57
Sels saves excellently from De Bruyne! The Belgian links up with Grealish as he moves forward in the centre-right channel. He fires and it looks to take a nick as it goes towards the bottom-right corner, yet his countryman is equal to the effort and tips it behind superbly.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:53
After a frustrating evening, Wood makes way for Taiwo Awoniyi as Forest look for some sort of response to City's three goals.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:53
Substitution Morgan Anthony Gibbs-White Elliot Junior Anderson
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:53
Substitution Temitayo Olufisayo Olaoluwa Aina Eric Emanuel da Silva Moreira
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:52
The corner on the left goes short and the move capitulates as Doku blasts one into the stands.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:51
Grealish drives on at the Forest back line. Silva runs back and Grealish takes the contact from his hairband-toting doppelganger. De Bruyne has a go from the free-kick after Gundogan lays it off and it's just past the foot of the left post. City corner to come...
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:48
Assist Erling Braut Haaland
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:47
Goal Jérémy Baffour Doku
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:47
It's great play by half-time sub Morato to stop Haaland having a tap-in into an empty net from Doku's ball.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:44
It opens up for Murillo who has a go from range! It just flies over. Speculative.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:43
Yellow Card Murillo Santiago Costa dos Santos
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:41
Yellow Card Morgan Anthony Gibbs-White
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:41
Yellow Card İlkay Gündoğan
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:40
Doku loses out to Gibbs-White and Aina crosses low from the right. Wood shoots, but it's blocked in a packed City box. Forest are looking a bit more ambitious now.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:39
Another intriguing note, this time from the first half - Grealish completed all 23 of his passes in the opening 45 minutes, with only defenders Dias (43/46) and Ake (37/39) completing more in the first half of this match.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:38
Interesting fact surrounding Morato... When he's been on the pitch, Forest have yet to concede a goal.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:37
Moreno nearly latches onto a flicked ball over from the right, yet Walker eventually gets his body between the Spaniard and the ball.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:36
Forest get us back in action.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:35
Nottingham Forest opt for a change just after the interval. Morato replaces Yates for his seventh appearance this season as Forest go for a slight change in shape.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:35
Substitution Manuel Obafemi Akanji Kyle Andrew Walker
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:32
City have exceeded their 1.83 xG with this dynamic performance so far, while Forest have been relatively wasteful with the chances that have run parallel with their 0.67 xG. Wood, although isolated with five touches in the first half, will no doubt be kicking himself that he didn't add to his nine goals this term. However, there has been joy for the travelling Trees, with 55%their attacks in the first half coming down their left wing. City have been fun to watch thus far, with Dias being their player with the most amount of touches, it reflects their will to get forward. Even with defensive players, as Gvardiol has looked like a consistent additional danger too.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:28
We reach the interval at the Etihad and it feels like normal business has resumed as Manchester City lead Nottingham Forest 2-0. Admittedly, it's been a half where the hosts' lead could've been more, yet Guardiola's side will take a two-goal advantage following the run they've been on of late. The first of City's pair arrived in the eighth minute as Gvardiol and Gundogan linked up well down the left before the latter crossed from the byline. It was headed goalward by De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva was on hand to poke home. After this, Gvardiol and De Bruyne both missed glaring opportunities either side of Gibbs-White forcing a fine save from Ortega as the visitors whirred into life. A player that was seemingly still booting up was Chris Wood. He found himself one-on-one after a gift of a back pass, yet he could only drag his effort wide of the left post. City punished this gaffe in emphatic fashion, as De Bruyne marked his first start since 18 September with a goal in the 31st minute as Doku played off a simple ball for him to thunder home from 15 yards.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:19
HALF-TIME: MANCHESTER CITY 2-0 NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:18
After a push from Jota Silva on Gundogan, Forest's brief offensive impetus draws to a close. It's then announced that we will play just the one minute of added time.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:17
Yellow Card Nicolás Martín Domínguez
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:16
Dias is high from the back and works well with Silva on the right before creeping in behind. He goes to the right byline and tries to slide it to Haaland, yet Yates gets a vital touch and Forest can reclaim the ball and clear.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:15
Doku switches briefly to the right side now. He links up with De Bruyne who plays the winger in down the channel with Wood all the way back to defend. He takes to the floor under the Kiwi's challenge, yet the referee doesn't buy the penalty shout!
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:13
Ortega under pressure! Elanga jinks down the left byline before trying to find Wood. The defence close around the Kiwi, before it falls to Ortega who just about sorts his feet out to clear. Forest come again with Gibbs-White feeding Moreno again on the left byline. He then shoots and Grealish blocks brilliantly. And we were told he was some sort of winger not a defender?
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:11
Following a poor pass from Haaland just inside his own half, Forest respond well and surge forward. It goes out wide to Silva who crosses. Wood misses and it's all the way back to Elanga who can't quite get the purchase as he curls one wide of the right post.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:09
Just as Silva crosses a little too high for Haaland at the left post, how about another fact? In seven of the last eight Premier League games Kevin De Bruyne has scored in, he has also recorded an assist. That's some impact...
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:08
Manchester City now lead by two goals in a Premier League game for the first time since October 5th against Fulham (won 3-2). Now they look to assert their dominance further, with Forest camped deep in their own third. However, the final ball from Silva is poor and the visitors clear.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:07
With that goal, De Bruyne has scored his second goal in the Premier League this season, netting for the first time since 24th August 2024 against Ipswich Town.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:04
Assist Jérémy Baffour Doku
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:03
Wood! That's a massive chance that's gone begging! De Bruyne's pass back to Dias evades the Portuguese and Wood races through one-on-one with Ortega before curling his effort just wide of the bottom-left corner! Perhaps he had too much time to think about that one...
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:03
Goal Kevin De Bruyne
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:02
Elanga whips in the corner. Milenkovic rises, although Silva nearly gets in his way. The header floats harmlessly over.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest20:01
Dominguez breaks up a City passing move and Elanga drives at Akanji but the Swiss deals with him. He gets it back fortuitously before De Bruyne fouls him on the left. It's a bit soft, but a foul nonetheless. This is a great crossing position. Elanga takes and it's Haaland back to nod it behind for a corner.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:58
Doku goes for an interchange with De Bruyne, yet as Aina deals with him at the left byline, he runs it too far and it's a goal-kick.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:57
As they have done so far, Forest look for a quick response as Moreno drives down the left. However, his cross is rash and way too high for anyone in red.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:56
De Bruyne flashes one low past Sels' right post! Silva laid off the captain and he drove down the right before just dragging his effort. The second City goal doesn't look far away, it must be said.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:55
City build with the ball smartly on the edge of the Forest box from right to left. However, play stops as Gvardiol bodychecks Silva off the ball for a Forest free-kick.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:54
Elanga has switched sides with Silva and looks all the better for it. He shifts past Akanji to win a free-kick on the left. However, the cross deep to the back post can't find Murillo and City eventually clear before Milenkovic hauls Doku to the floor. From the set-piece, Gvardiol flies forward as Haaland slips him in. He drags just wide of the right post!
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:53
Forest don't use the resulting corner the best they could, yet still retain the ball as City sit patiently. Moreno is then played down the left and Akanji deals with him excellently. Doku then feels he was fouled by Dominguez, yet Michael Oliver waves his theatrics away.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:51
Ortega! Great save! Silva sees a cross go too long from the right as Haaland loses the physical battle against Milenkovic. Forest then go up the other end and play inwards from the right with Jota Silva and Gibbs-White strikes... Ortega saves well down to his right!
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:48
City have had 68% possession to Forest's 32% so far this evening. That early goal has definitely settled the nerves, although the hosts are more than ready to try and grab another as Gvardiol latches on to a Silva cross from the right... the header is flashed just wide of the left post!
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:46
De Bruyne goes short to Grealish from the set-piece before it's back to the Belgian to cross. It's blocked for another corner on that side, of which goes a tad too long. Aina then shepherds Silva out of harm's way for a goal-kick.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:46
Aina ushers out Doku on the left byline and now the hosts have another corner.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:44
Interestingly with their earlier goal, Manchester City have now scored six goals in the first 15 minutes of the first half. That's more than any other team in the Premier League this season.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:43
After a shot on target from Wood, Forest keep driving forward for a response. In the next phase, Silva comes in from the left but drags his effort back the way he'd come for the visitors.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:43
Silva has scored his first Premier League goal since January against Newcastle, ending a run of 29 league appearances without netting.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:41
Assist Kevin De Bruyne
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:40
Goal Bernardo Mota Veiga de Carvalho e Silva
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:39
Sels saves from Haaland's effort! It was practically straight at the keeper, yet it was a save he had to make. Silva and De Bruyne worked decisively down the right before the captain pulled back for his Norwegian hitman in space. All it takes is a yard...
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:38
Gundogan has a shot blocked from distance. Gvardiol then miscontrols the ball as he tries to enter the box.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:37
De Bruyne is blocked on the right by Moreno and we have our first corner of the night. The Belgian takes and it doesn't beat the first man before being cleared.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:36
After an early Forest offside, City have been offering some spirited formative attacks. Doku makes inroads on the left and plays in-field. However, Sels boots away.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:33
And we're off as City's Belgian captain plays it back into his own half before the hosts come forward.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:33
After this evening's head official meets with the two respective captains, there's an apprehension in the air tonight. City are in unfamiliar territory, staring their dwindling title hopes in the face. On the contrary, Forest are looking to continue their best start to a season since 1980 when they were champions of Europe. City will get us under way as De Bruyne takes the kick off.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:32
Tonight's referee is Michael Oliver. We go through the pre-match theatrics and sky blue light show before he leads the steely-looking players out onto the turf to a great reception.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:18
Anthony Elanga returns to the Nottingham Forest side along with Nicolas Dominguez and Alex Moreno as Nuno Espirito Santo makes three changes. Callum Hudson-Odoi, Neco Williams, and Elliot Anderson drop to the bench. Forest are looking for their first away win against City since 1989. Could this be the perfect time?
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:18
Kevin de Bruyne is one of four changes to the Manchester City line-up from Sunday’s defeat at Liverpool. The Belgian takes over as captain as he starts for the first time since 18 September. Josko Gvardiol, Jack Grealish and Jeremy Doku are also included, while Phil Foden is not in the squad. Manchester City (37) have made more changes to their starting line-ups than any other team in the Premier League this season, making over three changes in seven straight league games in the same season for the first time since May 2021.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:18
SUBS: Carlos Miguel, Eric da Silva Moreira, Morato, Neco Williams, Elliot Anderson, James Ward-Prowse, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Ramon Sosa, Taiwo Awoniyi.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:18
NOTTINGHAM FOREST (4-2-3-1): Matz Sels; Ola Aina, Nikola Milenkovic, Alex Moreno; Ryan Yates, Nicolas Dominguez; Anthony Elanga, Morgan Gibbs-White, Jota Silva; Chris Wood.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:18
SUBS: Ederson Moraes, Scott Carson, Kyle Walker, Jacob Wright, James McAtee, Matheus Nunes, Nico O'Reilly, Rico Lewis, Savinho.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:18
MANCHESTER CITY (3-2-4-1): Stefan Ortega; Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, Josko Gvardiol; Manuel Akanji, Ilkay Gundogan; Jeremy Doku, Beranrdo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish; Erling Haaland.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:13
Currently outside of the Champions League picture let alone the Premier League title race, Manchester City have a seven-game winless run to end as they clash with Nottingham Forest at the Etihad this evening. Pep Guardiola's side couldn’t stop Liverpool’s momentum on Sunday, losing 2-0 to the runaway leaders. They have now fallen 11 points behind the Reds in the table. In their last time out, the Tricky Trees edged out Ipswich Town 1-0 to get back to winning ways. Looking to restart their fine run of form from the end of November, they’ll be sure to try and add to City’s recent misery. Sunday’s was the sixth defeat in 33 days for the despairing Guardiola’s squad. Will we see the seventh tonight, or can the fifth-placed Citizens turn it around against their sixth-placed visitors?
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:13
Good evening everyone, and welcome to this live text commentary from midweek Premier League action. We have the remainder of the league's 14th matchweek ahead. Tonight, it's Manchester City v Nottingham Forest.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest19:00
Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest17:30
Follow all the goals and latest action from the Premier League here with The Independent. Team news and line-ups coming up shortly…
