Nottingham Forest claimed their first home victory of the season as they toppled Manchester City 3-1 at the City Ground

An inspirational speech from club captain Ryan Yates set Nottingham Forest on their way to a big 3-1 victory over Manchester City on Saturday.

The midfielder was in the first XI for the first time this season and led by example with a typically committed performance at the City Ground. But Yates’ influence had started even before he stepped out on the pitch.

Head coach Oliver Glasner had recognised Yates’ passion and spirit could be key to ending the Reds’ five-match winless run as he brought the skipper into the team and pushed James McAtee into a more advanced role. The Forest academy graduate certainly did not let his manager down.

“The last words before we go out are from the captain to the team so Ryan Yates spoke this time,” Glasner explained. “I played more than 500 games as a player. I managed 500 games as a manager. I've never heard such an inspiring speech to the team, so it's credit to him.

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“There were a few reasons behind (starting Yates). First of all, Dan Ndoye didn't train last week, but I played him, then he had a cold during the week and he missed another training session. Since he came back from the last international break, he was always suffering - it was the calf, the hamstring, cold.

“Then I was thinking, okay, what is the demand in this game? It was to control the pocket.

“Then the second thing is, okay, maybe the most passionate player we have, who has been playing for 20 years for Forest, with the biggest and best connection, should start. Ryan had a good half at Brentford, almost scoring a goal, and he had a very good training week.

“That's why I decided to play James McAtee a little bit higher, because also they have Jeremy Doku on the wing and you always need to double up against Doku. I don't know any defender who can defend him one-v-one. James McAtee is one of our best players. It was a little bit tactically, but it was especially his (Yates’) mentality and his character.”

In addition to Yates’ team-talk, perhaps the presence of owner Evangelos Marinakis also proved to be a lucky charm. Saturday’s game was the first the Greek businessman has attended all season.

He would have enjoyed watching as Jair Cunha opened the scoring then Liam Delap bagged a brace, scoring either side of Rayan Cherki’s strike. It was a first home win since April for the Reds and lifted them out of the Premier League relegation zone.

Glasner quipped of Marinakis attending his first match of the campaign: “I said to him, ‘Now I know why we didn't score and win at home - because you have never been here!’. I said, ‘When did you decide to come?’, because he didn't tell me that he would come. He said, ‘I always decide in the morning’ - so hopefully next time (he comes again).”