Man City cannot afford Nottingham Forest slip after taking giant Premier League title stride

Manchester City visit Nottingham Forest this weekend aiming to consolidate their position at the top of the Premier League table.

But Pep Guardiola's side will need to be wary of their opponents, who have recorded three wins from their last five league games. It is far from the same Forest side which was dismantled 6-0 at the end of August, almost literally.

Since the start of the summer window Forest have signed 30 players, so predicting their line-up for Saturday afternoon is challenging, but their recent form shows they can pose questions. Manager Steve Cooper has started to build momentum, something he achieved last season when he took the club from bottom of the league eight games in, to promotion. Cooper signed a contract extension in October and Forest are now 14th in the table. Now, the Manchester Evening News has taken a look at how City can ensure they claim all three points.

READ MORE: Guardiola reaction to Silva booking gives Man City an unexpected transfer solution

Key Players

Morgan Gibbs-White is their dangerman, deployed in a free role behind the forward. He was Forest’s biggest outlay last summer, costing an initial £25 million, and most Forest fans would say he has been worth the money.

Although he only has two goals this season, he has developed a good relationship with Brennan Johnson, who is the principal goal threat and top scorer with seven. The Wales international is often utilised on the right and if Guardiola deploys a similar system to the one against Villa and in the first half at Arsenal with Bernardo Silva dropping in at left back when out of possession, then Johnson will look to exploit the gaps.

Elsewhere, Renan Lodi joined in the summer on loan from Atletico Madrid and has found