Manchester City host Nottingham Forest at the Etihad this Saturday in a big weekend in the Premier League. With City top of the table they’ll be looking to extend their lead whereas Nottingham Forest will be aiming to continue their good start to their second season back in the Premier League.
Pep Guardiola’s side currently sit top of the Premier League after five games. With five wins, City have the maximum 15 points and are two points clear of Tottenham, Liverpool and Arsenal on 13 points.
In their last five games in all competitions, Man City have five wins. When City hosted Newcastle, Julian Alvarez scored the only goal of the game in the first half as City restricted Newcastle to just one shot on target. Next was a trip to Bramall Lane where Man City edged out a nervy win over Sheffield United. Erling Haaland finally took advantage of City’s 80% of the possession, but in the 85th minute Jayden Bogle scored and it looked like Sheffield United would grab a point. However, Rodri popped up with a winner for City in the 88th minute.
In their next home game, City took on Fulham. Alvarez and Nathan Ake were on the scoresheet along with a hat-trick from Haaland to dispatch Fulham 5 - 1, with Tim Ream scoring for The Cottagers. James Ward-Prowse opened the scoring for West Ham, but goals from Jeremy Doku, Bernardo Silva and Haaland gave City the 3 - 1 win.
The most recent outing for City was in the Champions League. Though Red Star Belgrade took the lead through Osman Bukari, a double from Alvarez and a goal from Rodri gave City another 3 - 1 win.
Nottingham Forest sit just seven points down in eighth. With two wins, one draw and two losses, Forest have seven points to their name, five points adrift of the European spots.
Forest opened their season at the Emirates against Arsenal. Taiwo Awoniyi scored late on for Forest but goals from Eddie Nketiah and Bukayo Saka gave Arsenal the 2 - 1 win. In their first home game of the season, Forest were on the right side of a 2 - 1 scoreline. Awoniyi scored again along with Chris Wood in the win over Sheffield United.
Despite scoring twice in the first five minutes against Manchester United, goals from Awoniyi and Willy Boly, Christian Eriksen, Casemiro and a Bruno Fernandes penalty gave United the 3 - 2 win as Forest finished with ten men after Joe Worrall was sent off. At Stamford Bridge, Anthony Elanga scored the only goal of the game as Forest beat Chelsea 1 - 0.
Most recently, Forest hosted Burnley. Zeki Amdouni put Burnley ahead in the first half, but Callum Hudson-Odoi equalised with an impressive goal on his debut. Despite Lyle Foster being sent off for Burnley, Forest could not find the winner and the game finished 1 - 1.
Man City and Nottingham Forest have met 102 times in their histories, with the fixture spanning all the way back to 1899. City have the better record in the fixture with 41 wins in comparison to Forest’s 33 wins, though a draw is also a common outcome, happening on 28 occasions.