As Nottingham Forest look to pile more misery on the reigning champions, Nuno Espirito Santo said he would study what Manchester City’s recent opponents had done well.
Pep Guardiola’s side are winless in seven games in all competitions. The Reds will be aiming to extend that streak to eight when they face City at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night (7.30pm kick-off).
Forest overcame their own mini wobble when they bounced back from successive defeats with a 1-0 win over Ipswich Town on Saturday. And it is the clean-sheet, in particular, Nuno will want to build upon in midweek.
Six goals conceded in his team’s previous two games had left him “worried”. Defence has been the Reds’ strength this season, and they got back to what they had been good at against the Tractor Boys.
City will be a whole different test. Despite their shocking run, Nuno is under no illusions about the quality in Pep’s squad. But given confidence will be rock-bottom among the hosts, how to capitalise is the challenge for Forest.
Nuno might be tempted to field a back three to bolster the visitors’ defensive solidity. But although he frequently brings on Morato to help see out wins, it is a formation he has so far been reluctant to use from the start.
At the weekend, Neco Williams got the nod in place of Alex Moreno at left-back. The Welshman more than played his part in keeping Ipswich at bay, but it remains to be seen whether he keeps his place for Wednesday night.
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Nuno explained the switch was down to wanting to utilise options, and it might also have been made with the upcoming clash with Aston Villa in mind. Moreno will be ineligible to feature in that one against his parent club, on December 14, so perhaps Williams was given a run-out in preparation.
The Reds head coach will have some big decisions to make in midfield and at the top end of the pitch. No doubt he will also factor in that this is a three-game week, with an away game at Manchester United to come on Saturday. Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson have both been struggling with fitness so managing their minutes in the next two matches will be key, given they started at the City Ground.
Nuno could opt for a similar approach to what worked away to Liverpool back in September. On that occasion he went with a midfield pairing of Ryan Yates and James Ward-Prowse, with Anderson and Nicolas Dominguez taking up the wide roles either side of Gibbs-White.
The plan at Anfield was to keep it tight for an hour, then introduce the threat of Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga. It worked to great effect as the two substitutes combined for what proved to be the winning goal.
However, Nuno might feel that City can be got at from the off. Having the pace of Hudson-Odoi and Elanga from the start to hit the hosts on the counterattack could give Forest an edge and help to generate a few nerves among home fans.
Winger Jota Silva did well on his first league start last weekend, when he replaced Elanga in the XI. It will not be the last time he makes the line-up, but it might be that Nuno plumps for Elanga’s experience and speed this time.
Predicted Forest XI: Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Aina; Yates, Dominguez; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood.
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