Maresca faces key selection calls for Manchester City against Nottingham Forest

Manchester City face Nottingham Forest at the City Ground in their final match before the upcoming international break, and head coach Enzo Maresca has several selection decisions to make. City have lost their last two Premier League matches, against Aston Villa and Brighton, and will be looking to return to winning ways.

Form and context

City sit second in the Premier League table, while Nottingham Forest are 19th. Oliver Glasner's side are good at creating openings but have struggled to convert them, a problem that has contributed to their low position in the standings. Even so, the match is expected to be a demanding test for City, who will need to be at their best.

The source of selection questions is partly City's 3-2 win over RB Leipzig on Wednesday night. Rayan Cherki and Phil Foden were not at their best in that game, according to the writer's assessment.

Injury news

City have only one player ruled out through injury. Antoine Semenyo is sidelined with a knee injury and is not expected to return until sometime in December.

Maresca told the media that Nico O'Reilly continues to have fitness issues. O'Reilly was also left out of the England squad for their upcoming UEFA Nations League matches against Croatia and Spain, and it seems unlikely he will start against Nottingham Forest.

Expected lineup

The writer expects Ayyoub Bouaddi, Elliot Anderson and Enzo Fernandez to start in midfield. In this setup, Bouaddi would play as the number six, with Anderson alongside him and Fernandez as the number ten, which would give City a well-balanced midfield.

Erling Haaland is expected to lead the attack, with Jeremy Doku on the left wing and Iliman Ndiaye on the right. Foden or Cherki could also be considered for the right side, although that seems less likely. The back four appears settled, and Gianluigi Donnarumma is expected to start in goal.