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Manchester City Visit Nottingham Forest With Chance to Go Top as Guardiola Enforces Post-Christmas Fitness Checks

Multiple injuries plus AFCON call-ups leave Guardiola juggling options for the early kick-off.

Overview

  • City arrive on a seven-match winning run across all competitions and can go first for a few hours with an early victory at the City Ground.
  • Guardiola said players will be weighed after Christmas and warned anyone returning out of shape will not be selected for the matchday squad.
  • Reported absentees include Rodri, John Stones, Jeremy Doku, Mateo Kovacic and Oscar Bobb, with Omar Marmoush and Rayan Aït-Nouri unavailable due to AFCON duty.
  • Erling Haaland has 19 goals in 17 games as City pair prolific scoring with three straight 3-0 league wins and clean sheets.
  • Forest sit 17th under Sean Dyche after four wins in his first nine league games and have been vulnerable from set pieces, conceding 14 goals in those situations.