Match Report and Player Ratings: Nottingham Forest 0-2 Manchester City (FA Cup Semi-Final) | OneFootball

Manchester City produced a sensational display from start to finish to secure their place in the FA Cup final courtesy of a 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest at Wembley on Sunday evening.

Pep Guardiola’s side made a strong start to the semi-final and were in cruise control of the tie, enjoying loads of possession with Mateo Kovacic dictating the tempo of play in one of his best-ever performances in a sky blue jersey.

A much-changed Manchester City side were rewarded for their quick start when Rico Lewis rounded off a brilliant team move with a clever finish in the bottom corner to give his boyhood club a dream start within two minutes.

Nottingham Forest posed a threat on the counter for much of the first half but City defended resolutely to deny Nuno Espirito Santo’s men a serious sniff at goal in the opening 45 minutes, entering the interval with a deserving one-goal advantage.

However, the game opened up in the second half as minutes after Anthony Elanga failed to equalise from a Callum Hudson-Odoi low cross, Josko Gvardiol rose highest to power home Omar Marmoush’s corner to send his side to the final.

Morgan Gibbs-White hit the crossbar with a well-taken half volley not too long after and the Forest captain went on to hit the post from an open goal after going round Ortega Moreno when he intercepted Gvardiola’s misplaced pass – again sparing City’s blushes.

City had more chances as the game went on to put the tie to bed but it remained 2-0 and that was arguably the best collective performance from Guardiola’s side in a long, long time and right up there with the most convincing they’ve looked this season.

Here’s how the Manchester City players fared in a dominant semi-final victory against fellow Champions League hopefuls Nottingham Forest!

Starting XI

Stefan Ortega Moreno – 7.5/10

Made some important saves when called upon largely in the second half and despite a shaky moment or two early on with his feet, this was one of Ortega’s better performances this term.

Matheus Nunes – 7.5/10

Nunes is in a fine run of form and he did well to deal with the threat posed by Hudson-Odoi on the wing, often driving forward with the ball and linking well with the likes of Silva and Kovacic in midfield.

Ruben Dias – 8/10

No words needed. Solid and always sets the tone for the backline.

Josko Gvardiol – 9.5/10

We said last time we’re running out of words for Josko Gvardiol. We were right. IN-CRE-DI-BLE.

Nico O’Reilly – 9/10

O’Reilly played like he was having a kickabout with his mates and it is quite astonishing to wonder just how good this teenager is on the ball. Drifts past the opposition like they’re not there, not an iota of doubt in the 19-year-old’s mind.

Rico Lewis – 9/10

Haters, where are you? Lewis was a surprise selection by Guardiola but he sent a timely reminder to those who’ve criticised him this season with an early goal and stupendous all-round performance elsewhere.

Mateo Kovacic – 9.5/10 (MOTM)

Wow, just wow. The Croatians are running the show for Manchester City lately. It’s time we start giving Mateo Kovacic his flowers. The best way to sum up what he did out there today was to say it felt like Rodri was playing in the middle for City at Wembley.

Jack Grealish – 7/10

Solid in holding the ball and doing what Guardiola wants him to do. I’d still like to see him back himself more and shoot when he has an opening in and around the box but he played soe good through balls and was a key presence in attack for City.

Bernardo Silva – 7.5/10

An attacking defender is how Silva once described his role in the Manchester City side and he did absolutely everything and was absolutely everywhere on the pitch.

Savinho – 7.5/10

City’s forwards could have scored another three to four goals between them if they put their head up and were slightly less selfish in the final third but Savinho was a bright spark in attack today and could have gotten in on the act.

Omar Marmoush – 8/10

Marmoush adds a very unique fundamental threat to the attack and like Savinho, he’d be disappointed to leave the pitch with no goals to his name but you can’t complain after the Egyptian drove at the Forest defence as many times as he did and put in a beautiful corner for Gvardiol to head in early in the second half for City’s second.

Substitutes

Ilkay Gundogan – 7.5/10

Calm and composed on the ball when he came on, executing the message from Pep for City to keep the ball and protect their lead

Phil Foden – 7/10

Helped see the game out and kept City high up the pitch.

Jeremy Doku – 7.5/10

Won fouls, got City higher up the pitch and would probably have been disappointed not to start given his heroics against Aston Villa in midweek

Nico Gonzalez – N/A