Saturday lunchtime’s offering is a crunch match in the race for Champions League qualification as Nottingham Forest host Manchester City.
Forest enter the match with only one win in regular time in the last seven matches. However, during that period, they have managed to prevail in two penalty shootouts in the FA Cup over Exeter City and Ipswich Town.
Manager Nuno Espirito Santo has the luxury of having almost a full squad at his disposal. Every player came away from their FA Cup fifth round victory last Monday unscathed.
Carlos Miguel is the only absentee with the second-choice goalkeeper struggling to cope with a hamstring issue. Nikola Milenkovic wasn’t included in the squad last Monday – but there is nothing to suggest the reasoning behind that decision was anything other than a rest.
Man City also progressed into the last eight of the FA Cup by knocking out Plymouth Argyle last weekend.
Nathan Ake was taken off at the interval against the Championship outfit and City’s worse fears were confirmed during the week. The Dutchman isn’t expected to feature again this season after requiring surgery on a persistent foot issue. The medical staff at the club have informed Pep Guardiola that the defender faces 10-11 weeks on the side-lines.
That prolonged period out creates a tough predicament for Guardiola with Manuel Akanji and John Stones also unavailable for at least another month.
Nottingham Forest vs Man City – Match preview and team news
Form
Nottingham Forest: DLLDD
Forest’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League are in jeopardy following their recent inconsistent showings.
Aside from their 7-0 humiliation of Brighton, the Tricky Trees have faltered against teams with similar ambitions. Bournemouth put five goals past them without reply which was followed up by two more losses on the road to Fulham and Newcastle. Nuno’s team couldn’t find a way against Arsenal last time out in the league and the game ended goalless.
Forest will be confident that their net can remain unbreached again this afternoon. They have made the City Ground a fortress this campaign, with no team in the top-flight conceding fewer goals at home.
Espirito Santo will be hoping his players can use the jubilation of the penalty shootout win in the FA Cup on Monday as motivation. The club will undoubtedly be relishing the quarter-final tie with Brighton after the international break.
Man City: WLLWW
City will be aiming to climb into third position in the league this afternoon by beating Nottingham Forest. It has been a turbulent season for the reigning champions with their chances of claiming a fifth successive title being almost impossible.
Last weekend, Pep Guardiola’s came from behind to conquer Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup. Nico O’Reilly netted a brace with Kevin De Bruyne adding a late third in stoppage time.
The Cityzens are attempting to go one better in the cup this season after falling at the final hurdle last year against fierce rivals Manchester United.
Last Meeting
Manchester City 3-0 Nottingham Forest, Premier League, 4th December 2024
Man City comprehensively beat high-flying Forest in their last encounter with a 3-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium.
Forest were given an early warning in the opening exchanges. Erling Haaland connected sweetly with Kevin de Bruyne’s cross and Matz Sels was forced into parrying the effort.
But the visitors couldn’t weather the prompt storm and conceded inside ten minutes. Bernardo Silva was perfectly positioned on the goal line to direct De Bruyne’s header into the net.
Pep Guardiola’s team continued to dominate and Josko Gvardiol was desperately close to doubling the deficit with a glancing header.
Forest still posed a threat in transition and Stefan Ortega needed to keep a firm wrist to deny Morgan Gibbs-White.
A lapse in concentration from the hosts presented the opposition with a glorious opportunity to equalise. De Bruyne inexplicably overhit a back pass to send the typically ruthless Chris Wood through on goal, but the New Zealand international dragged an effort wide.
However, De Bruyne would atone for his error by scoring City’s second. His fellow Belgian Jeremy Doku teed up the midfielder, who lashed a strike beyond the despairing dive of Sels.
Just shy of the hour mark, Doku made the lead unassailable. The former Rennes player jinked inside before effortlessly curling the ball into the bottom corner.
The loss in Manchester inspired Nuno Espirito Santo’s team to embark on an awesome streak. They won seven games on the spin which helped them climb into the upper echelons of the league table.
What time is kick-off?
Kick-off at the City Ground will be at 12:30 GMT on Saturday 8th March 2025.
Who is the referee?
Chris Kavanagh will be the match official. Lee Betts and Scott Ledger will assist him while Sam Allison will be the fourth official. Darren England is the VAR and Akil Howson will accompany him at Stockley Park.
Predicted Line-ups
Nottingham Forest XI: Sels, Aina, Murillo, Milenkovic, Williams; Dominguez, Anderson; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi, Wood.
Man City XI: Ederson, Lewis, Khusanov, Dias, Gvardiol; Gonzalez, Silva; Savinho, Marmoush, Doku, Haaland.
What TV channel will Nottingham Forest vs Man City be on?
TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports Ultimate and Discovery+ are the places to watch Saturday’s lunchtime fixture.
Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City betting odds
Nottingham Forest: 11/4
Draw: 11/4
Manchester City: 19/20
See Also – Eight talking points ahead of the Premier League weekend
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