Forest's last trip to the Etihad saw them thumped 6-0 with Erling Haaland netting a 38-minute hat-trick but Cooper remains optimistic.
Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper will push to have Serge Aurier and Willy Boly available when his side face Manchester City at the Etihad on Saturday.
"Serge [Aurier] is closer than Danilo, who is going to be out for a few weeks," Cooper admitted on Thursday. "Serge is getting closer, it's one we're trying to push as hard as we can without unnecessary risk. We'll see how that goes. Cooper won't have particularly fond memories of the Etihad, having seen his side thrashed 6-0 last August. Erling Haaland netted a hat-trick inside 38 minutes that day and there was a feeling Pep Guardiola's side could have kicked on and scored more.
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