Nottingham Forest vs Man City FA Cup Fixture – a Spot in the Final at Stake

Key Injuries, Predicted Lineups & Match Preview for the Crucial FA Cup Clash on April 27.

Manchester City will face Nottingham Forest in a high-stakes FA Cup semi-final clash at Wembley on Sunday. Both clubs are now seeking glory in contrasting contexts. City are at a place where they have almost no chances of winning this Premier League. Now they are chasing their second FA Cup crown in three years.

If they manage, then this will be their third consecutive final appearance. Meanwhile, Forest are eyeing a first return to the final since 1991. With both teams coming off morale-boosting league wins, this semi-final promises to be fiercely contested and emotionally charged.

It's semi-final Sunday at Wembley. 🏟️

COME ON YOU REDS! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/OPK4siNlIP
— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) April 27, 2025

Spot in the Final at Stake

The winners of this clash will secure a coveted spot in the FA Cup final. They will face Crystal Palace in the final who have won by a 3-0 margin. Manchester City have appeared in seven consecutive semi-finals. They will now continue their pursuit of silverware after ending Bournemouth’s run in the quarter-finals.

Nottingham Forest, under Nuno Espirito Santo, are arriving at Wembley with confidence. They have prevailed in three straight penalty shootouts to get to the semi-finals. The two sides are evenly matched on head-to-head stats this season. Each side has claimed a league victory over the other.

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Nottingham Forest Injury News

Forest will be without suspended duo Neco Williams and Ryan Yates. Both have been banned for card accumulation and will serve suspensions. Williams’s absence could be significant if Ola Aina fails a late fitness test on his calf injury. This could potentially leave the team short at right-back.

Jota Silva and Eric da Silva Moreira are also sidelined with ankle and knock issues respectively. Although none of them had chances to start the game. Santo will rely on his squad’s resilience, especially after their recent 2-1 win over Spurs that boosted morale.

Nottingham Forest probable starting lineup:

Sels; Toffolo, Murillo, Milenkovic, Aina; Anderson, Dominguez; Hudson-Odoi, Gibbs-White, Elanga; Wood

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Manchester City Injury News

City’s injury list remains a concern for Pep Guardiola. Rodri, Erling Haaland, John Stones, and Nathan Ake are still out with respective injuries. Goalkeeper Ederson is also a major doubt because of a groin injury. Whereas, young talent Oscar Bobb has recently suffered a setback in his recovery.

James McAtee is suspended after collecting his second FA Cup yellow card. This has created an opportunity for Jeremy Doku to start. Rising star Nico O’Reilly could also retain his place. He has impressed with five goal involvements across four FA Cup appearances this season.

Manchester City probable starting lineup:

Ortega; O’Reilly, Gvardiol, Dias, Nunes; Gundogan, Kovacic, Silva; Marmoush, De Bruyne, Doku

FA Cup

Manchester City

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Nottingham Forest vs Man City

Moumita Dutta

soccer

Football writer at The Playoffs. I’ve been obsessed with the beautiful game since I was a kid.. Eventually, I realized I could combine my passion for writing with my love for football, and I’ve never looked back. My favorite part of the job is everything—when you’re doing what you love, even a late-night deadline feels like extra time in a thrilling cup final. Lastly, Lionel Messi is the GOAT.