Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City LIVE: Premier League team news and line-ups ahead of crucial clash

It’s a glorious morning by the Trent. We’ll have all the team news from the City Ground in the next few minutes.

Pep Guardiola insisted he had no issue with Jack Grealish enjoying a night out – but warned he must deliver on the pitch for Manchester City.

Pictures emerged this week of the England international apparently visiting a number of venues in the north east – including a social club where he reportedly bought drinks for the locals – last weekend.

Grealish was not breaking any club rules, with the squad having been given two days off following Saturday’s FA Cup fifth-round win over Plymouth.

Yet the stories have led some to question the 29-year-old’s professionalism amid what has been a difficult campaign both for him and the team.

“If you are third in the table after 8-10 fixtures, that’s OK – but if it happens with 11 games left, and still you are third, it is because you have done really, really, really well.

“You cannot be there for many months without doing many good things. So it’s impressive, I would say.

“They defend really well, aggressive, compact and good in the transitions. They are good with the long balls and the four up front are really good. They create many things.”

Currently fourth, Manchester City face a crunch test as they travel to third-placed Nottingham Forest, who have been one of the competition’s surprise packages this term.

Behind them the battle is also tight, with 10th-placed Aston Villa just five points adrift, and Guardiola is realistic about his team’s position.

Pep Guardiola said: “It will not be the end of the world if we’re not going to qualify for the Champions League.

“If it doesn’t happen, it’s because we have not been good enough and the other teams deserve it. After 38 fixtures, it’s fair enough. The result is finished.

“We are in the position that is not ideal, but it’s not too bad. It’s in our hands and we’re going to fight for that.”

Manchester City defender Nathan Ake is expected to be out for up to 11 weeks following foot surgery, manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed.

The centre-back was forced off at half-time in last weekend’s FA Cup victory over Plymouth and later underwent an operation to repair a fracture.

It is the latest in a series of fitness issues in a frustrating campaign for the Dutchman, with the foot issue having been particularly troublesome for some time.

Guardiola said at a press conference: “Ten weeks, 11 weeks (out), they said to me. When you go for surgery it’s because something wrong happened.

“But the important thing is it is done. He has struggled a lot this season with the problems in his feet. It happens.”

Nottingham Forest XI: Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Anderson, Yates; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood

Manchester City XI: Ederson; Lewis, Khusanov, Dias, Gvardiol; Nico, Kovacic; Savinho, Marmoush, Doku; Haaland

Manchester City defender Nathan Ake has been ruled out for 11 weeks with a foot injury, with the Dutchman joining John Stones, Manuel Akanji and Rodri on the sidelines.

Nottingham Forest have no new injury concerns but Chris Wood and Morgan Gibbs-White will return to the line-up after the FA Cup win over Ipswich on penalties.

The Premier League match kicks off at 12:30pm on Saturday 8 March at the City Ground, Nottingham.

It will be shown on TNT Sports 1 and Discovery+, with coverage getting underway from 11:30am. You can purchase a TNT Sports subscription via discovery+ here, for only £30.99 per month.

Nottingham Forest host Manchester City in a key contest in the Premier League top-four race.

While City have fallen away from title contention, Forest have surged up the table under Nuno Espirito Santo to sit above Pep Guardiola’s side in the table.

But while Forest are hanging onto third position, Nuno’s team have not won since beating Brighton 7-0 last month – requiring penalties to beat Exeter and Ipswich in the FA Cup and losing to Fulham and Newcastle before drawing 0-0 with Arsenal in the Premier League.

City – who won 3-0 in the reverse fixture earlier this season – defeated Tottenham 1-0 in their last Premier League outing as Guardiola’s side look to salvage their campaign by finishing in the top four and winning the FA Cup, where they face Bournemouth in the quarter-finals.