Manchester City will be looking to continue their perfect start to the season when they host Nottingham Forest in the Premier League. The visitors are now ranked eighth in the table after earning seven points in their last four Premier League games. The hosts are comfortably atop the standings.
Preview (Manchester City vs. Nottingham Forest)
After seeing their team win five straight Premier League games, including last weekend’s 3-1 victory away at West Ham United thanks to goals from summer signings Jeremy Doku, Bernardo Silva, and Erling Haaland, Manchester City supporters are understandably in a good mood. They eventually prevailed by a score of 3-1 in their opening Group G match. On the cusp of halftime, Osman Bukari unexpectedly gave Red Star the lead with their first shot on goal. However, a dominant Citizens team, had 37 shots and 76% of the ball for the entire 90 minutes. They turned the game around with a pair of goals from Julian Alvarez. A cool finish from Rodri helped City extend their club record of consecutive home victories to 19 in all competitions.
When Man City takes on Nottingham Forest on Saturday, they will be confident that they can pick up another three points and make history by becoming the second reigning Premier League champion, after Chelsea in 2005-06, to win his first six games in the top division. Nottingham Forest has lost all three of their home games against Man City. It includes last season’s resounding 6-0 victory in August 2022. In the closing 30 minutes of their Premier League match against Burnley on Monda. Nottingham Forest was on track to suffer the same defeat. They had nearly three weeks prior when they lost 1-0 at home to the Clarets in the EFL Cup.
To save a 1-1 draw for Steve Cooper’s team in a match where Burnley was controversially denied a late victory by VAR due to a questionable handball, rookie Callum Hudson-Odoi stunningly scored from outside the area in the second half. However, another challenging away trip to the home of the defending champions is on the horizon. However, Forest enters Saturday’s game having lost all six of their previous league encounters with Man City.
Team News
Mateo Kovacic has missed the last two games because of a back muscle problem. Guardiola has said that the midfielder might be available for selection on Saturday. Due to Bernardo’s absence, Doku will probably start on Phil Foden’s other wing. Josko Gvardiol and Manuel Akanji are also vying to start in defense. They may take the place of Nathan Ake and Sergio Gomez.
In Man City’s 6-0 victory over Forest at home the previous season, Alvarez scored his first two Premier League goals for the team. The Argentine is likely to continue in attack with Haaland, who scored a hat-trick against the Tricky Trees in the same game. As for Forest, Harry Toffolo (FA suspension) is out and Brazilian midfielder Danilo, who missed the draw with Burnley due to a hamstring injury, may be too fresh for Saturday’s match. Nuno Tavares, an Arsenal loanee, may get his first start on the left side of defense. In the middle of the field, high-profile summer acquisition Ibrahim Sangare and Orel Mangala may reunite, while striker Taiwo Awoniyi, Hudson-Odoi, Morgan Gibbs-White, and ex-Manchester United player Anthony Elanga will all be vying for the same position.
Nottingham Forest has already caused enough of issues on the road against Arsenal, Man United, and Chelsea this season. If they want to pull off an upset on Saturday, they will need to put up another strong performance.
Manchester City 3 – 1 Nottingham Forest
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