A maximum of 14 games remain in Manchester City's regressive 2024/25 campaign, but there's still scope for the perennial champions to take something away from the season.
They won't be five-peating or enjoying a deep run in the Champions League. However, a 3-1 victory over Plymouth means City are one of eight teams left in the FA Cup, and Pep Guardiola's side are also well placed to ensure their demise doesn't result in Europa League football or worse.
The Premier League's improved coefficient means the top five look poised to qualify for Europe's premier club competition next season, but that doesn't take away from the significance of Saturday's clash at Nottingham Forest.
The top half remains mightily tight, and one slip-up could be seized upon by an array of challengers. Victory at the City Ground will stand the champions in good stead for a third-place finish.
Here's how Man City could line up at Forest in the Saturday lunchtime kick-off.
Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku, Savinho
Man City won at Spurs last time out in the Premier League / Sebastian Frej/MB Media/GettyImages
GK: Ederson - The Brazilian has been restored as the club's number one, and we'll likely only see Stefan Ortega in the FA Cup from here on out.
RB: Matheus Nunes - Guardiola hasn't exactly got stellar right-back options at his disposal, but he trusted Nunes at Spurs and the makeshift defender could retain his place over Rico Lewis.
CB: Abdukodir Khusanov - The January signing has barely put a foot wrong since his nightmare of a debut. He's certainly in City's strongest XI, and his recovery speed will be imperative this weekend.
CB: Ruben Dias - Guardiola's options are slim with Nathan Ake, John Stones, and Manuel Akanji all sidelined. However, the manager will be more than happy to wheel out the Khusanov x Dias partnership again after their performance in north London.
LB: Josko Gvardiol - Nico O'Reilly scored a brace in the FA Cup last weekend and is currently Gvardiol's deputy. The teenager won't be replacing the Croatian international in the Premier League XI anytime soon, though.
CM: Nico Gonzalez - The early signs have been promising, but Gonzalez will be put to the test by a fast Forest team which counter-attacks ever so efficiently.
CM: Mateo Kovacic - Kovacic has been in and out of the side as of late but he should come back in here fully refreshed after missing the win over Plymouth.
RM: Savinho - The Brazilian may not yet be a final third killer, but Savinho boasts a skill set which suggests he'll continue to thrive under Guardiola.
AM: Omar Marmoush - Marmoush has quickly taken on an important role after his winter arrival, and the Egyptian's ability to explode out of tight spaces will be handy against a compact Forest defence that will sit deep.
LM: Jeremy Doku - Doku has so often frustrated in City colours, but he was brilliant at Spurs after making a mockery of Trent Alexander-Arnold two weekends ago. The visitors will seek the Belgian as their key creative outlet on Saturday.
ST: Erling Haaland - Haaland has an inventive support cast around him, but he will be made to work incredibly hard for his moments in front of goal by a physical centre-back pairing which doesn't like to concede goals at home.
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