Pep Guardiola: Nathan Ake injury 'doesn't look good' for Man City

Goals from Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, and Jeremy Doku secured the win for Pep Guardiola's side, who showed a much-needed return to form.

However, the win came with a fresh concern for City's defence. Guardiola expressed fears that Nathan Aké's injury may be more severe than that of Manuel Akanji, adding to the defensive woes the team has faced in recent weeks.

"I don't know. We'll see tomorrow (Thursday). But unfortunately... he's a really, really important player," Guardiola said on Ake.

"It doesn't look good, we'll see tomorrow. Manu has struggled a lot over the last two months. I thank them for the effort.

"I was sad for Nathan, but we'll see. I think with Manu maybe not Selhurst Park [against Crystal Palace], we'll see, I don't know in Turin [against Juventus] or next games. But we'll see. Nathan I think will be longer."

A clear timeline for their recovery is yet to be determined, leaving Guardiola's defensive options uncertain as they head into a busy period.

The match also saw Jack Grealish play in a central attacking midfield role, while Ruben Dias was allowed to push forward with the ball into more offensive areas, as City looked to break down Forest's defence.

The injury issues arrive at a time when Guardiola's centre-back options had just returned to full strength, making the situation even more frustrating for the manager. 

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