Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson sends emphatic five-word warning to Manchester City

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The countdown is on for Nottingham Forest fans as the FA Cup semi-final vs Manchester City is hours away, and Elliot Anderson has sent a message to increase the hype even further.

The club hasn’t been this close to cup glory since Forest lost the 1991 FA Cup final, making the clash with Man City on Sunday extra special for Reds fans.

Espirito Santo has received Brian Clough comparisons for his achievements so far this season, but of course, the Forest squad will be hoping that there is more to come, starting at Wembley.

With Ryan Yates suspended for the semi-final, the midfield will almost certainly include Anderson at its heart, who is relishing the opportunity to topple City at the home of football.

Elliot Anderson shares confident FA Cup semi-final message

Anderson received praise from Alan Shearer for his excellent display against Tottenham on Monday, with the goal in the 2-1 win a perfect way to prepare for the Wembley occasion.

Speaking to The FA for the official programme available at the stadium, Anderson has expressed his belief that Forest can beat City and book their place in the final.

He said: “It’s a tough challenge, but I think any of the three teams we could have played were going to be tough. At this stage, all the teams are strong. We can definitely beat City, as people have seen this season, so we’re feeling good.

“I think, obviously, the two games went very differently, but I think we’ve learned that we can cause them a lot of problems. That’s the main thing I took from the two matches.”

This confidence will be crucial as City have the overwhelming advantage when it comes to experience, with Sunday marking Pep Guardiola’s seventh consecutive FA Cup semi-final. However, for Anderson in particular, he must improve on an uncharacteristically quiet display against City in March.

Anderson struggled when Nottingham Forest beat Man City

Anderson nearly got sent off against Man City in March’s 1-0 win at the City Ground, a game that he struggled to truly influence.

Playing alongside Nicolas Dominguez as he likely will on Sunday with Yates suspended, the Argentine midfield outshone Anderson, who couldn’t impose himself.

Losing 11 duels with just a 15% success rate in his ground duels had the potential to be costly against the possession-heavy City, but thankfully, his defenders behind him were on top form.

Dominating the play will never be the plan for Forest on Sunday, but having Anderson on top form defensively will be crucial if Espirito Santo’s side are to ride out the lengthy spells of City dominance.