This Wednesday night, Manchester City will face Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, aiming to secure a positive result in the Premier League. Following a narrow 1-0 victory over Leeds United, the Mancunian side is in high spirits going into this match.
Pep Guardiola is expected to deploy a 4-1-3-2 formation and may introduce one change to his starting lineup. Tijjani Reijnders could have the opportunity to shine from the outset as Nico O’Reilly is uncertain for this fixture.
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Predicted 4-1-3-2 Lineup for Manchester City Against Nottingham Forest
Defence
Gianluigi Donnarumma will take his place in goal after keeping a clean sheet in his previous match. Ruben Dias will partner with Marc Guehi at the center of the defense, aiming to maintain a sturdy backline.
Matheus Nunes will feature as the right-back, while Rayan Ait-Nouri will look to impress from the left-back position. Both will need to be judicious with their forays into attack.
Nathan Ake will provide additional defensive depth from the bench.
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LEEDS, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 28: Gianluigi Donnarumma celebrates following Manchester City’s Premier League victory over Leeds United at Elland Road on February 28, 2026. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Midfield
Rodri will serve as the holding midfielder, providing essential support and protection for his defense.
In an attacking setup, Tijjani Reijnders, Bernardo Silva, and Rayan Cherki will play just ahead of him. The trio must focus on effective ball movement to generate scoring opportunities for Man City to secure a win.
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Nico Gonzalez and Phil Foden will be on the bench, ready to make an impact if called upon in the second half.
Attack
Omar Marmoush and Antoine Semenyo will lead the offensive line for Manchester City. Their synergy will be crucial as they aim to unsettle the Nottingham defenders on Wednesday night.
Savinho will have to settle for a spot on the bench but may come on to influence the match in the closing stages if necessary.