"Either buy in to changes or leave," Oliver Glasner said as Nottingham Forest prepare for Manchester City in the Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City fixture on 7 November. It is a harsh line, but Forest have given him reason to speak that way. They have won only one of their opening nine Premier League games, taken just a single point from their last 15 available and sit on six points, with six goals scored and no goals in five home fixtures.

Glasner's pressure point

Forest's problems are not subtle. They are joint-lowest scorers in the league with six goals, have failed to score in five of their nine matches and have gone winless and goalless in five home games this season. The club's league position reflects it too, with Forest 19th in the table.

Glasner's public warning fits that backdrop. The point is less about one quote than the level of frustration behind it, with the manager demanding a reaction from a side that has been short of incision and, at home, short of any real threat. A response against City would not solve everything, but another flat display would only deepen the concern around a group already under pressure.

City's form and Anderson's return

City's visit is not straightforward for them either, even after beating RB Leipzig 3-2 away on Wednesday. They have lost back-to-back Premier League matches to Aston Villa and Brighton and Hove Albion, and their 24-game Premier League scoring streak ended in the 1-0 loss to Brighton at the Etihad Stadium. They are still second in the league, which is worth keeping in perspective, but the domestic run has been uneven enough to make this trip feel more open than the fixture list suggests.

Elliot Anderson adds the personal angle. He is preparing to face Nottingham Forest for the first time after a £116m summer move to Manchester City, and he has already made nine Premier League appearances for his new club. The move has not been a slow-burn adaptation either, with a 7.06 league rating suggesting he has settled quickly enough to matter in games like this.

City still have the deeper squad and more obvious match-winners, with Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, Rayan Cherki and Rúben Dias among the names available to shape the game. Forest, though, are the side under the sharper spotlight. Glasner has already said what he expects from his players, and Forest now have to show they can deliver it in the league's most uncomfortable kind of fixture.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →