Separated by a staggering 32 points in the Premier League standings, title-chasing Manchester City and relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest collide at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday evening, in both teams' 29th matches of the 2025-26 top-flight season.
It is as you were in terms of the title and demotion picture for both clubs, as the Sky Blues' 1-0 victory over Leeds United on Saturday evening temporarily took them to within two points of leaders Arsenal.
The Gunners subsequently restored the five-point gap thanks to their 2-1 win over Chelsea, but City still have a game in hand on their North London rivals and therefore have first place in their own hands ahead of the visit of Mikel Arteta's men next month.
Meanwhile, Forest have endured a miserable three-match losing run across all competitions under new boss Vitor Pereira, whose side remain just two points above the drop zone following Sunday's 2-1 defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion.
Here, Sports Mole looks at the head-to-head record and previous meetings between the two clubs.
Head-to-head record
Previous meetings: 108
Man City wins: 46
Draws: 28
Nottingham Forest wins: 34
A head-to-head that first took place a few days before the 20th century began - a 2-0 Division One win for Nottingham Forest in December 1899 - there have now been 108 competitive meetings between Manchester City and the Tricky Trees.
Thanks to the current gulf in class between the two squads, City have superiority in the wins column with 46 successes compared to 34 wins for the Garibaldi, and another 28 meetings have ended without a victor.
The last two meetings have gone the Citizens' way, as a 2-0 FA Cup semi-final triumph in 2024-25 came exactly eight months before a 2-1 Premier League success at the City Ground.
Nuno Espirito Santo's men were deservedly triumphant on their own turf in March 2025, though, earning a 1-0 success courtesy of a Callum Hudson-Odoi winner as they strengthened their case for Champions League football.
However, Pep Guardiola's side have mostly enjoyed the better of this fixture since Forest returned to the big time in 2022, taking 16 points from their last six Premier League battles courtesy of five victories and one draw.
It was a home match against the Tricky Trees in December 2024 where City ended their embarrassing seven-game winless run in all tournaments, hitting three past Santo's men without reply on a night where Kevin De Bruyne shone brightest.
The reigning champions also comfortably defeated Forest 2-0 home and away in the 2023-24 season, prior to which they did have to settle for a 1-1 draw at the City Ground in February 2023, as Chris Wood levelled late for the Garibaldi.
Forest found themselves on the wrong end of a six-goal slaughter during their visit to the Etihad in August 2022, though, as Erling Haaland struck a 38-minute hat-trick, his second in two games after also bagging three against Crystal Palace four days before.
That 6-0 triumph for City ended a 13-year spell without a competitive showdown between Forest and the Citizens since a 2009 FA Cup third-round clash, which the Nottinghamshire side won comfortably 3-0.
Despite only facing Forest six times in his career so far, Haaland is already the joint second-highest scorer in matches between City and the Tricky Trees with five efforts, just one short of outright record holder Niall Quinn (six).
Last 20 meetings
Dec 27, 2025: Nott'm Forest 1-2 Man City (Premier League)
Apr 27, 2025: Nott'm Forest 0-2 Man City (FA Cup)
Mar 08, 2025: Nott'm Forest 1-0 Man City (Premier League)
Dec 04, 2024: Man City 3-0 Nott'm Forest (Premier League)
Apr 28, 2024: Nott'm Forest 0-2 Man City (Premier League)
Sep 23, 2023: Man City 2-0 Nott'm Forest (Premier League)
Feb 18, 2023: Nott'm Forest 1-1 Man City (Premier League)
Aug 31, 2022: Man City 6-0 Nott'm Forest (Premier League)
Jan 03, 2009: Man City 0-3 Nott'm Forest (FA Cup Third Round)
Mar 30, 2002: Man City 3-0 Nott'm Forest (First Division)
Oct 28, 2001: Nott'm Forest 1-1 Man City (First Division)
Feb 05, 2000: Nott'm Forest 1-3 Man City (First Division)
Aug 30, 1999: Man City 1-0 Nott'm Forest (First Division)
Dec 28, 1997: Man City 2-3 Nott'm Forest (First Division)
Sep 03, 1997: Nott'm Forest 1-3 Man City (First Division)
Dec 18, 1995: Man City 1-1 Nott'm Forest (Premier League)
Sep 30, 1995: Nott'm Forest 3-0 Man City (Premier League)
May 06, 1995: Nott'm Forest 1-0 Man City (Premier League)
Oct 08, 1994: Man City 3-3 Nott'm Forest (Premier League)
Dec 15, 1993: Man City 1-2 Nott'm Forest (EFL Cup Last 16 Replay)
Last 10 Premier League meetings
Dec 27, 2025: Nott'm Forest 1-2 Man City (Premier League)
Mar 08, 2025: Nott'm Forest 1-0 Man City (Premier League)
Dec 04, 2024: Man City 3-0 Nott'm Forest (Premier League)
Apr 28, 2024: Nott'm Forest 0-2 Man City (Premier League)
Sep 23, 2023: Man City 2-0 Nott'm Forest (Premier League)
Feb 18, 2023: Nott'm Forest 1-1 Man City (Premier League)
Aug 31, 2022: Man City 6-0 Nott'm Forest (Premier League)
Dec 18, 1995: Man City 1-1 Nott'm Forest (Premier League)
Sep 30, 1995: Nott'm Forest 3-0 Man City (Premier League)
May 06, 1995: Nott'm Forest 1-0 Man City (Premier League)