When the teams emerged from the tunnel at the Etihad Stadium at 7:30pm on Wednesday, 4th March 2026, few could have predicted the rollercoaster ride that awaited both sets of fans across the following 90 minutes.
The Nottingham Forest vs Man City lineups confirmed the competitive squads both managers had at their disposal, and the 2-2 draw that followed was a compelling advert for Premier League football, played out in front of 51,965 supporters in Manchester.
Nottingham Forest vs Man City Lineups Confirmed
Manchester City lined up with Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal, with Manuel Nunes, Ruben Dias (Aké at centre-back, listed as Guehi), Riad Aït Nouri operating at left-back, and a midfield led by the returning Rodri.
Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva (captain) provided creativity from deep, Mathys Cherki played as the number ten, Erling Haaland led the line, and Antoine Semenyo started on the right flank.
Nottingham Forest deployed Matz Sels in goal behind Taiwo Aina, Julio Paula da Cunha Filho, Nikola Milenkovic, and Murillo in defence.
Neco Williams operated at left-back, with Nicolas Domínguez and Ibrahim Sangaré anchoring the midfield alongside Elliot Anderson.
Morgan Gibbs-White captained the side from an advanced role, with Taiwo Awoniyi on the bench and Iago da Cruz starting on the left.
The Goals and Timeline
Manchester City drew first blood in the 31st minute when Semenyo converted from Cherki’s assist, making it 1-0 to the home side.
Forest levelled on 56 minutes through their captain Gibbs-White, finishing smartly from da Cruz’s assist to restore parity.
City hit back with Rodri’s close-range finish on 62 minutes — assisted by Aït Nouri’s cross — to restore the lead.
But Forest would not lie down, and Elliot Anderson struck on 76 minutes, setting up by substitute Callum Hudson-Odoi, to earn Forest a deserved share of the spoils.
The final score of 2-2 left both teams frustrated but evidenced the vast quality difference between this match and many of the drab Nottingham Forest vs Man City lineups clashes of previous seasons.
Full Match Timeline Table
| Minute | Event | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31′ | Goal | Antoine Semenyo (assist: Cherki) | Man City |
| 45+1′ | Yellow Card | Sangaré | Nottingham Forest |
| 56′ | Goal | Morgan Gibbs-White (assist: da Cruz) | Nottingham Forest |
| 60′ | Yellow Card | Murillo | Nottingham Forest |
| 62′ | Goal | Rodri (assist: Aït Nouri) | Man City |
| 63′ | Yellow Card | Milenkovic | Nottingham Forest |
| 63′ | Sub | Domínguez ? Hudson-Odoi | Nottingham Forest |
| 76′ | Goal | Elliot Anderson (assist: Hudson-Odoi) | Nottingham Forest |
| 77′ | Sub | Aït Nouri ? Husanov | Man City |
| 77′ | Sub | Foden ? Doku | Man City |
| 79′ | Sub | da Cruz ? Awoniyi | Nottingham Forest |
| 82′ | Sub | Cherki ? Savinho | Man City |
| 90′ | Sub | Williams ? Rodrigues Da Silva | Nottingham Forest |
| 90′ | Sub | Gibbs-White ? McAtee | Nottingham Forest |
| 90+4′ | Yellow Card | Sels | Nottingham Forest |
Confirmed Starting Lineups Table
| # | Manchester City | # | Nottingham Forest |
|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Gianluigi Donnarumma | GK | Matz Sels |
| RB | Manuel Nunes | RB | Taiwo Aina |
| CB | Marc Guehi / Dias | CB | Julio Paula da Cunha Filho |
| CB | Ruben Aké / Guehi | CB | Nikola Milenkovic |
| LB | Riad Aït Nouri | LB | Murillo |
| CM | Rodri | DM | Neco Williams |
| AM | Phil Foden | DM | Nicolas Domínguez |
| AM | Bernardo Silva (c) | CM | Ibrahim Sangaré |
| 10 | Mathys Cherki | AM | Elliot Anderson |
| ST | Erling Haaland | CAP | Morgan Gibbs-White (c) |
| RW | Antoine Semenyo | LW | Iago da Cruz |
Officials Table
| Role | Official |
|---|---|
| Referee | Darren England |
| Fourth Official | Thomas Bramall |
| VAR | Tony Harrington |
| Assistant VAR | Dan Robathan |
Match Analysis
The draw was a fair result in a match that showcased Nottingham Forest’s remarkable resilience throughout the 2025-26 season.
Gibbs-White’s leadership was evident throughout, and the Forest captain drove his side forward even when they appeared to be crumbling under City’s relentless pressure.
For City, Rodri’s 62nd-minute finish was a reminder of how important the Spaniard is to Pep Guardiola’s system, while Semenyo’s lively opening goal showed the depth of attacking options available to the champions.
Erling Haaland was kept relatively quiet by Forest’s resolute defensive unit, but remained a constant threat that required constant attention from Milenkovic and Murillo.
The result left both clubs in complicated positions in the table, with City’s title ambitions taking a dent and Forest remaining in a fierce battle at the wrong end of the Premier League.
Key bullet points from the nottingham forest vs man city lineups and stats:
- Elliot Anderson’s 76th-minute equaliser was the decisive moment, set up by substitute Callum Hudson-Odoi who came on just 13 minutes earlier
- Morgan Gibbs-White captained Forest magnificently, contributing a goal and driving his side’s second-half comeback
- Rodri’s goal on 62 minutes was his first major contribution of the match after a quiet opening period
- Nottingham Forest picked up four yellow cards — Sangaré, Murillo, Milenkovic, and Sels — in a physical contest
- Gianluigi Donnarumma made his expected saves for City but was beaten twice by clinical Forest finishing
- A crowd of 51,965 at the Etihad Stadium witnessed a compelling advertisement for Premier League football’s competitive depth