Hudson-Odoi issues Nottingham Forest message ahead of Man City clash
Nottingham Forest face a date with destiny when they take on Manchester City in Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.
Nuno Espirito Santo‘s side have turned heads aplenty with their rise up the Premier League table this season and are sat fourth with five matches left to play, firmly in the hunt for Champions League football.
A pair of successive defeats to Aston Villa and Everton had seen Forest slip outside the Premier League’s top five, but a 2-1 win over Tottenham puts Nuno’s side back on track ahead of their FA Cup semi-final.
Ready to face the Reds, however, are Pep Guardiola’s Man City, who beat Villa 2-1 on Tuesday thanks to Matheus Nunes’ injury-time winner and now stand in the way of a first FA Cup final for Forest since 1991.
Callum Hudson-Odoi rallies Nottingham Forest fans
Hudson-Odoi was reduced to a bit-part role in Forest’s deserved 2-1 win over Ange Postecoglou’s side in North London on Monday, as Nuno brought him off the bench for Danilo out wide in the 58th minute.
The three times-capped England international has been a revelation in Forest’s rise up the table this season, as part of their dynamic front four of Anthony Elanga, Morgan Gibbs-White and Chris Wood.
| Player | Appearances | Starts | Goals | Assists | Yellow Cards |
| Callum Hudson-Odoi | 32 | 25 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
Forest’s season could break yet another ceiling if they can topple Man City in Sunday’s semi-final, and ahead of their clash with the seven-time holders at Wembley, Hudson-Odoi is ready to compete.
Posting on his Instagram story (22 April), Hudson-Odoi said of the Tottenham victory: “Good win! Bring on Sunday…”
Nottingham Forest ready to seal European place
Nuno’s side are already very well-placed to secure a spot in any one of the three European competitions on offer next season; 12 points clear of eighth-placed Bournemouth in the Premier League’s seven spots.
With a Champions League place still likely despite being displaced in third by Man City on Tuesday, the Reds have already lined up top-level transfers to match, with Wolves star Matheus Cunha heavily linked.
Hudson-Odoi’s pace, power and output this term has led Forest higher-ups to open contract talks with the winger, as told to Football Insider by Mick Brown, and the 24-year-old will be keen to keep any new arrivals out of Nuno’s first-choice XI.