Nottingham Forest vs. Manchester City: Preview, team news, prediction for Premier League match
An intriguing match-up kicks off Matchday 28 of the Premier League season as Nottingham Forest host Manchester City on Saturday.
Forest are third in the standings, one point and one spot above City, and they look to take another step towards Champions League qualification. Nuno Espirito Santo's men have stumbled in recent weeks as they've won just one league match in their past five, and they head into Saturday's test winless in three.
As for City, they haven fared much better in the league recerntly, losing two of their last four. The Sky Blues will be bolstered by their 3-1 victory over Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup last weekend, although the fifth-round win was an expected result given the relative stature of the two clubs.
Here's what you need to know about Nottingham Forest and Manchester City ahead of their match.
Nottingham Forest vs. Manchester City: Head-to-head and recent statistics
All-time meetings: 105
Nottingham Forest wins: 33
Draws: 28
Manchester City wins: 44
City have been the more successful off the two sides in their all-time meetings, with 44 wins from 105 total matches.
FIFA Club World Cup
FIFA Club World Cup
Nottingham Forest vs. Manchester City: Team news
(Sources: Injuries, suspensions)
Nottingham Forest
Injured: Miguel
Suspended: None
Manchester City
Injured: Rodri, Bobb, Akanji, Stones, Ake
Suspended: None
Nottingham Forest vs. Manchester City: What the managers are saying
Nuno Espirito Santo, Nottingham Forest
(via Nottingham Forest)
“It’s very exciting because we’re going to play a very good team full of exciting players.
“They have a manager who has had an impact and changed football so it is a big challenge for us.
“They had absentees who are now returning and improving their levels of performance and they’ve been able to adjust the squad with players of quality so it’s certainly going to be harder and it will be a very tough game.
“But we are in a good moment, our players are enjoying playing at The City Ground so we expect a good game.”
Pep Guardiola, Manchester City
(via Manchester City)
“When you are third in the table after eight, 10 fixtures, okay.
“But when you are there with 11 games left it and still you are third, it’s because you have done really, really well.
“You cannot be there unless you have done good things. Impressive, I would say."
Nottingham Forest vs. Manchester City: Prediction
Neither team is particularly good at the moment, but Forest haven't defeated City in the league since 1997 and there's no real reason to believe that streak will end.
Prediction: Nottingham Forest 2-3 Manchester City
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