The Cityzens come into the FA Cup semi-final with their season hanging in the balance, knowing the famous trophy represents their only remaining shot at silverware and a chance to avoid a first trophyless campaign since 2016/17.
Pep Guardiola’s side, seven-time winners of the competition, have made a habit of reaching this stage, making a record seventh consecutive semi-final appearance. However, this year’s run carries added significance as City look to salvage pride after falling behind in the Premier League title race and exiting Europe.
Standing in their way are Forest, a club whose hunger for success has only grown in the decades since their last major honour. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, currently enjoying one of their best seasons in recent memory, pause their push for a top-five league finish to chase a first FA Cup final since 1991.
Forest’s remarkable cup run has already seen them prevail in three penalty shootouts, and they will take heart from their recent 1-0 victory over City in the league, as well as a strong historical record in this competition against the Manchester giants.
Nottingham v Manchester City key information
• Date: Sunday, April 27, 2025
• Kick-off time: 4:30 PM
• Venue: Wembley Stadium, London
• Referee: Michael Oliver (on pitch)
• VAR: Peter Bankes
• TV channels: ITV 1 (Gbr), ITV X (Gbr), Premier Sports 1 ROI (Irl), STV (Gbr), STV Player (Gbr), UTV (Gbr)
• Odds: Nottingham – 7/2 | Draw – 11/4 | Manchester City – 18/25
Nottingham Team News
Felipe remains unavailable due to a persistent knee issue that has sidelined him since March, with no confirmed timeline for his return.
Ola Aina, who has been key for Forest this season, continues to recover from an ankle ligament problem suffered in February and is unlikely to feature before May.
Aside these injury concers, Santo has the full complement of his squad and will be fired up to make history.
Nottingham Forest expected lineup v Manchester City (4-2-3-1)
Coach: Nuno Espírito Santo
Sels; Williams, Milenkovic, Murillo, Toffolo; Anderson, Yates; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood
Manchester City Team News
Erling Haaland remains sidelined with an ankle injury sustained in the FA Cup win over Bournemouth at the end of March, and is not expected to return until at least mid-May.
Phil Foden is also a doubt, having missed recent matches due to an ankle problem picked up at Old Trafford, with Pep Guardiola taking a cautious approach to his recovery.
Goalkeeper Ederson continues to recover from a groin issue that has kept him out of the last two games, and there is uncertainty over his availability for the semi-final, meaning Stefan Ortega is likely to deputise once again.
Oscar Bobb has suffered a fresh hamstring setback and will miss the tie, although City hope he could return before the end of the campaign. Rodri, John Stones, and Nathan Ake all remain sidelined with injury and are unlikely to feature before the end of the season.
Manchester City expected lineup v Nottingham Forest (4-3-3)
Coach: Pep Guardiola
Ortega; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O'Reilly; Kovacic, Nico, Gundogan; Silva, De Bruyne, Marmoush
H2: Where to watch on TV or live stream?
In the United Kingdom, the FA Cup match between Nottingham and Manchester City will be available to watch on ITV 1, ITV X, STV, or UTV.
If you don’t have access to the TV channel, you can simply watch the live stream 1xBet.
H2H record
Manchester City and Nottingham Forest share a long and competitive history, having faced each other 106 times in all competitions since their first meeting in December 1899.
Manchester City hold a narrow edge overall in the h2h, with 44 wins compared to Nottingham Forest’s 34, while 28 matches have ended in draws.
In recent years, City have generally dominated the fixture, especially since Forest’s return to the Premier League in 2022, winning four of the last six league meetings and taking 13 points in that span.
However, Forest have shown they can compete, most notably in March 2025 when they earned a 1-0 victory at the City Ground thanks to a Callum Hudson-Odoi goal.
Earlier in the season, City ended a winless run by defeating Forest 3-0 at the Etihad, with Kevin De Bruyne playing a starring role.
Looking at form, Manchester City have been strong in the FA Cup, winning six of their last ten matches in all competitions, with just two losses and two draws in that stretch.
Forest, meanwhile, have been resilient in the cup, with four wins from their last seven meetings with City in this competition, and have shown a knack for grinding out results, including three penalty shootout wins en route to the semi-final
Odds for Nottingham and Manchester City
As the teams prepare for their Wembley showdown, history gives City a slight advantage, but Forest’s recent head-to-head success and cup form suggest the tie could be much closer than many expect.
According to bet365, Manchester City are favorites at 18/25, with odds of 11/4 for a draw and 7/2 for a Nottingham win.
Odds, correct at the time of publication, are subject to change.