Chris Sutton’s Premier League and FA Cup semi final score predictions

Pep Guardiola’s team selection will be absolutely crucial here.

Both of Manchester City’s goals against Aston Villa on Tuesday came from their players being prepared to run at defenders – firstly Omar Marmoush and then Jeremy Doku, who had started the game on the bench.

But Pep appears to be very cautious at the moment, and has not been using his out-and-out wingers, Doku or Savinho, very much because he wants to try to control the middle of the pitch.

Doku and Savinho both started when Forest beat City at the beginning of March, which was City’s last defeat, seven games ago, but it’s unlikely that they will both start at Wembley.

That does not make this tie any easier to call, though.

Forest bounced back from a couple of defeats with a win over Tottenham on Monday, which was a huge result for their top-five hopes, and we know the way they are set up to counter-attack can cause City problems.

I am not just saying this because Forest were my boyhood team, but I want anyone but City to win the FA Cup this season.

I’ve got nothing against City but it would be a great story if any of the other three teams won it because they have either not won anything for so long or, in Palace’s case, they have never won a major trophy at all.

Despite that, I just have a feeling that City are going to put in a good performance here, and earn the right to reach their third straight FA Cup final.

As much I hate to say it, I am expecting Pep to find a way to win, the same way they did against Everton and Aston Villa – although I hope I am wrong. My predictions are so bad at the moment, there is a good chance I will be.

Sutton’s prediction: 1-2

Lee’s prediction: It will be tough but I do think we can turn them over. I am not just saying that because I’m a Forest fan, it’s because we seem to have played well against the better teams this season, the ones that come on to us.

I’ve seen the stats about possession and we have got the lowest average possession (39.3%) in the Premier League this season, and City have got the highest (61.6%) so they are going to have the ball and we will try to hit them on the break – we have already beaten them this season, so we know it can work. One late breakaway goal would do the job, and that’s the way we play. 1-0