An FA Cup semi-final is further evidence that Nottingham Forest are back in the big time. These grand occasions were commonplace in the club’s heyday, but this great club has not enjoyed such heady days for more than 30 years.
It has been an incredible season for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, fighting for a Champions League place but also the chance to lift a trophy that even the great Brian Clough never managed at Forest.
This is not just a day to walk out at Wembley and wave to the fans — this is a massive opportunity for Forest and a game they can win.
They have to show their killer instinct and the way they performed against Tottenham was the perfect dress rehearsal to take on Manchester City.
That would have been a satisfying moment for Nuno to get the better of his former club and he is proving he has developed a lot tactically from his Wolves days while also creating a huge spirit, desire and determination among his troops.
Against Spurs, they showed once again how they are prepared to suffer without the ball and get their sea of red bodies back on to the edge of the area ready to strike when the moment arises.
They are like a boxer who sits on the ropes, but when they see an opening lands the knockout blow.
Nuno made smart adjustments to get more bodies into midfield to combat Tottenham’s full backs tucking in. He started sitting midfielders Danilo and Nicolas Dominguez, and by sacrificing winger Callum Hudson-Odoi, Elliot Anderson and Morgan Gibbs-White picked up the full backs.
When they attacked, Harry Toffolo gave them width from left back as Gibbs-White moved into the frontline, and Forest broke at breathtaking pace. The rapid Anthony Elanga started up top alongside ruthless finisher Chris Wood in a pair of split strikers.
Forest forced Spurs into wide areas, resulting in a record 51 crosses — the most in a Premier League game this season — which were meat and drink for Forest’s centre backs.
Nuno may look to pack the midfield again if Pep Guardiola uses full backs Nico O’Reilly and Matheus Nunes as he did in City’s recent win over Everton.
They patrolled the centre of midfield at Goodison and allowed Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne to operate in the frontline, but still found the time and space for Nunes to break forward and cross for O’Reilly’s winner.
Guardiola is adding more variety to how he uses his full backs and against Villa they stuck to the touchline and gave City width.
Bernardo Silva, who in the last game had started at right wing, sat alongside Mateo Kovacic as Nunes scored a very important goal.
The manager said Nunes was not clever enough to play in midfield, but he has been pivotal in assisting and scoring the winner in City’s last two games to keep them in the mix for a Champions League spot. I expect him to be brimming with confidence at Wembley.
There is still a vulnerability about City that we have never seen before in Guardiola’s tenure. If his full backs get too far up the field, that will leave space for Forest to exploit when they surge forward, as they’ve done to great effect all season.