MY ACCOUNT
– Manchester City won the reverse fixture 6-0 at the Etihad Stadium
– Nottingham Forest have won three of their last four in all competitions
– Recommended bet: Manchester City to win and over 3.5 goals
After moving to the top of the Premier League standings during the week, Manchester City will fancy their chances of getting the better of Nottingham Forest when they visit the City Ground on Saturday.
The last time these two met in the top flight, City ran out 6-0 winners, with striker Erling Haaland scoring a hat-trick.
Thankfully for Forest, they have improved their chances of avoiding relegation after enjoying a seven-match unbeaten run in the Premier League at the City Ground, but that should sadly come to an end when Pep Guardiola’s side visit town.
Team news
Forest are down to the bare bones in defence, and despite the fact they’ve invested heavily in their team, they have requested dispensation from the Premier League to reinstate Steve Cook to their 25-man squad due to a lack of fit and available centre backs.
Both Scott McKenna and Willy Boly picked up hamstring injuries during last weekend’s 2-0 defeat to Fulham, with McKenna out for six weeks, while Boly is likely to miss three months of action.
Dean Henderson, Moussa Niakhate, Taiwo Awoniyi, Giulian Biancone, Omar Richards and Cheikou Kouyate are also in the treatment room, while Jesse Lingard remains a doubt due to a knee problem.
Felipe and Joe Worrall are set to start at the heart of the defence, while Jonjo Shelvey could make his first start since joining from Newcastle United.
City defender John Stones remains their only concern, with the England international still suffering from a hamstring injury.
Guardiola may tweak his starting XI ahead of his side’s Champions League tie against RB Leipzig next week, with Rico Lewis, Manuel Akanji, Aymeric Laporte, Julian Alvarez, Phil Foden and Kalvin Phillips all pushing to start.
The stats
Since losing their first three Premier League games in a row at home, Steve Cooper’s Nottingham Forest are unbeaten in seven in front of their own supporters.
They have kept a clean sheet in three of their last four at the City Ground, but they will need to be at their very best to even secure a draw this weekend.
Forest were outclassed during the previous meeting between the pair and City have scored at least three goals in four of their last five matches in the Premier League.
Prediction
With City’s European campaign set to resume in midweek, it is hard to know what starting XI Guardiola will name on Saturday.
Should Haaland start, Forest will do well to silence him, especially with a lack of centre-back options.
Haaland has proved time and time again he comes alive in the penalty box and, if Forest are not careful, he could score two or three goals this weekend.
Even without Haaland, City have shown they can be dangerous in the final third and, with the likes of Alvarez and Foden desperate to prove a point, Forest could be on the end of another thumping for the second time against the champions this season.
Back Manchester City to win and over 3.5 goals at 19/10.
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