Manchester City

Man City captain Bernardo Silva speaking to TNT Sports: "For me personally [the extra time off] was good. I went to see my family and spent some time with them, now back to reality.

"From my experience it's always really tough to come to this place, it's really tough. So first game after Christmas, at midday, is always a very tough schedule, but we are prepared. We are in a good moment, hopefully we can keep putting some pressure on and get the three points."

On how far City are from their best: "I couldn't tell you. At the end of the day what matters is the trophies. So at the end of the season with the trophies or not is when I can make the comparison. Right now it is difficult to say that. There's still a long way to go."

City are wearing that rather questionable grey and bright yellow kit they've got.

Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche speaking to TNT Sports: "We dominated a lot of the Fulham game but you've got to score goals. You are always looking for the cutting edge to be right but you've got to keep the back door shut as well.

"You've got to play well. City are a good outfit, they have always are. I know they had a quieter start to the season but it's no surprise that they are challenging again and chasing again like they do. A fine side, a fine manager but we are here to play them and we want to take them on."

On line up changes: "More freshness. Said all along that Dougie [Luiz] has been fast tracked really. He played in Europe before we would have liked to have played him but he's experienced so he got through that one. He played at Fulham but he is still catching up with his body and building match fitness, so that change is more about freshness.

"Mats is a fine keeper, he's done great for this football club and I'm sure he will do again I'm sure, but John went in and did nothing wrong and did nothing wrong at Fulham either. He hardly had a save to make - I'm hoping he doesn't have too much to make today."

On John Robertson: "What a guy and what a legendary player. A bad loss and a sore loss for everyone concerned at Nottingham Forest. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends of course."

Just thinking about how ridiculous Luis Suarez's 19 goals in 12 games are.

Crazy numbers.

Erling Haaland feels a bit untouchable at the moment and here's why.

The Man City striker's 19 goals by Christmas is the joint-most the Premier League has seen by this stage.

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter at the City Ground

Under Sean Dyche Nottingham Forest have won seven of their 13 games as the former Everton boss rapidly steadied the ship at the City Ground.

There have been blips - including Monday's 1-0 defeat at Fulham - but Forest have not lost successive games since Dyche replaced Ange Postecoglou two months ago.

That will be tested against Manchester City, with Pep Guardiola's men having won their last seven games in all competitions.

Forest are still in trouble - despite the relative calm of the Dyche era given the chaotic start to the season - and the five-point advantage over the bottom three can change quickly with the rapid festive fixtures.

Pep Guardiola said he had no problem with Man City's fitness or running, but they simply "have to play better".

"The players asked me to have tomorrow's [Sunday's] training session off and I said no, because they didn't play well enough," Guardiola said.

"So Sunday recovery, train the guys that didn't play, and after three days off they have two days to prepare for Nottingham Forest."

Five wins on the spin for Man City has put them right into title contention.

Pep Guardiola's side have hit form at the right time and have even won 3-0 in their last three games.

Manchester City

Man City boss Pep Guardiola speaking to TNT Sports: "Only the manager is overweight, the rest are perfect!

On keeping the line-up the same: "We have five injured players, two at the African Cup of Nations, and sometimes you have to change. We have seven days since the previous game so the recovery is there. I will see, I take a selection every day and think about many things.

I decided for this line up again and I'm happy that Rodri is coming back to do the first steps. We had two or three setbacks so we have to be careful for the minutes for when he is ready. I listen a lot with the doctors and physios and he starts with the bench."

On Forest: "In every game we do good things and in the other things we must improve. Every game is completely different, the way that they [Forest] play is different to the previous ones.

"Since I've been here, they have always been tough. Newly promoted years ago, they were tough and they always have been tough. Prestigious stadium, big history here. Today is the last game of the first leg [of the season], hopefully we can continue on our run."

Good old Dychey asking if Pep Guardiola will be weighing himself before today's game.

Pep Guardiola wanted to make sure his Man City players didn't overeat at Christmas by saying they'd be weighed before taking on Nottingham Forest.

So if there are any shocks in the team news, then maybe a few too many slices of yule log have been eaten.

"The moment they arrive after three days [off] I want to see how they come back. They can eat but I want to control them," Guardiola said.

"Imagine one player and now he's perfect but he will arrive with three kilos more.

"He will be in Manchester, he will not travel to Nottingham Forest."

Image source, Getty Images

Forest boss Sean Dyche isn't letting the defeat to Fulham last time out weigh heavily on his mind.

He said: "You have to park these things pretty quickly. We did well overall, we weren't a million miles off. It wasn't the intensity we showed in the Tottenham game or out in Utrecht though.

"The game was a bit flat in general. Our fans were terrific, they were trying to get the team going, as was I. Sometimes the hardest thing is when everyone is having a bit of a down day."

Image source, Getty Images

It's two wins in five games for Nottingham Forest.

But today's game is as tough as it comes. Can they pull off a shock?

Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest winger Callum Hudson-Odoi speaking to TNT Sports: "Last year we got the victory, 1-0, which was nice. It was an important win for the season that we were having, but we have to go again this year. Hopefully, we can get another result.

"You have to be fully focused for the whole game. They [City] can switch a switch and suddenly make chances so we just need to make sure that we are focused and try to take our chances when they come. We need to be ready from minute one.

"We started a bit slowly but as time has gone on, we are gradually getting better, which you can see by the results and the way that we're playing. A result today would be amazing. We know that we need to start climbing the table and getting points on the board."

Football Focus

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Don't say we never give you anything!

Nottingham Forest will mark the death of club legend John Robertson before today's game with Man City.

Robertson scored the only goal when the club retained the European Cup by beating Hamburg in 1980, having also delivered the cross from which Trevor Francis netted the winner the previous season against Malmo.

Forest are to rename a stand at the City Ground to honour their "great hero", who died at the age of 72.

Image source, Getty Images

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter at the City Ground

Nicolas Domínguez replaces Douglas Luiz in Nottingham Forest's only change.

The midfielder returns following Monday's 1-0 defeat at Fulham which left Sean Dyche's side five points above the relegation zone.

John Victor keeps his place ahead of Matz Sels in goal.

Nottingham Forest XI: John Victor, Savona, Murillo, Milenkovic, Williams, Anderson, Dominguez, Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi, Jesus

Subs: Sels, Morato, Zinchenko, Abbott, Luiz, McAtee, Awoniyi, Kalimunedo, Bakwa

Manchester City are unchanged from last week's 3-0 win over West Ham.

Rodri returns to the squad having not played since a late substitute appearance in the 3-1 win over Bournemouth on 2 November following a hamstring injury.

It was the midfielder's only minute of action since October as he battles to return to full fitness.

Man City XI: Donnarumma, Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly, Gonzalez, Silva, Reijnders, Foden, Cherki, Haaland

Subs: Trafford, Ake, Rodri, Savinho, Khusanov, McAidoo, Mukasa, Lewis, R. Heskey