Manchester City face a stern test on Saturday, 8 March, when they travel to the City Ground to face Nottingham Forest.
The outgoing Premier League champions have struggled for consistency this season, while the Tricky Trees have been having an excellent campaign.
But despite what form or the table suggests, the list of best football betting sites still label Pep Guardiola’s men as the favourites heading into the match.
The Last Time They Met
It’s no real surprise, given City’s pedigree and the fact that they won the reverse tie comfortably. Bernando Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku were each on the scoresheet as the Sky Blues recorded a 3-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium in December.
The Citizens will be confident of repeating that feat, though they’ll need to be wary of the upset threat posed by Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.
Assessing Forest’s Chances of an Upset
Nottingham Forest is enjoying a fantastic 2024/25 Premier League campaign under Nuno, and their third-place standing is a testament to that. The Tricky Trees have had some memorable performances, claiming wins over the likes of Manchester United, Aston Villa and Tottenham, while they managed to hold Premier League leaders Liverpool to a draw on their turf. All of this suggests that Forest has a genuine chance of pulling off an upset.
City’s Dismal Away Form
Most of City’s struggles this season have come on the road, so there will be a bit of nervousness heading to the City Ground. The Sky Blues have suffered defeats in visits to Bournemouth, Brighton, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal, while they drew at Newcastle, Crystal Palace and Brentford. We have to admit that away form does not bode well.
What about the Head-to-Head Stats?
Since earning promotion in 2022/2023, the Citizens have faced Nottingham Forest five times. In those meetings, Guardiola’s side have recorded four wins with a combined scoreline of 14-1. The Sky Blues have dominated this fixture, and that will give them a psychological edge heading into the weekend clash.
Forget Chris Wood, We Have Erling Haaland!
While Chris Wood, no doubt, is having a superb season, the real player to fear on the pitch is Erling Haaland. The Norwegian goal machine has five goals in his five meetings with the Tricky Trees, including a hat-trick he scored in City’s 6-0 win at the end of August 2022. Haaland has outscored Wood for goals in the league this season. Chris who?
The Importance of Beating Forest
Victory over Forest would be a massive result for City, securing three crucial points for Guardiola’s side while denying the higher-ranked opponents any. Often called a six-pointer, this match could be vital in the race to secure a top four finish.
The Verdict
Manchester City look to have found their rhythm at just the right time, and the January arrivals of Abdukodir Khusanov, Omar Marmoush and Vitor Reis have made an already-stacked squad even stronger. Forest will be optimistic of a positive result in front of their fans, but City should prove too strong once again and secure maximum points.