Manchester City will be hoping to continue their 100% start to the season when they take on the Tricky Trees at the Etihad.
Defending Premier League champions Manchester City went into the first international break of the season having won all four of their opening matches. Pep Guardiola’s side are attempting to become the first-ever team to win a fourth consecutive title in the English top-flight, and they have started the term very strong.
The Cityzens began their season with a comprehensive 3-0 thumping of newly-promoted Burnley on the Premier League managerial debut of their former captain Vincent Kompany. They won their first home game against Newcastle 1-0 and had to scrap through the next league fixture, a 2-1 victory over Sheffield United, courtesy of a late winner from Rodri.
The Mancunians then left for the September international break in style with a 5-1 thrashing of Fulham. They will be back with ambition when they host Nottingham Forest, immediately after opening their UEFA Champions League title defence against Red Star Belgrade in midweek.
Hence, the aim will be to end a crucial week on a high. After grinding out two wins and two defeats from their first four games, Nottingham Forest find themselves ninth in the standings.
The West Bridgford side opened their campaign with a fruitless late fightback in the 2-1 defeat at Arsenal, but they made immediate amends in their first home game by beating Sheffield United, with the same score-line, through a late Chris Wood header. That momentum was taken into the following match as Steve Cooper’s men raced into a two-goal lead within four minutes at Old Trafford, but they ultimately ended the game with ten men and zero points after another famous Manchester United comeback.
Although the performance and result were perfect in a rare win at Chelsea, that was just their second win in 22 Premier League away games since the start of last season. The Reds know they have to do much more to stop City in their own backyard.
Nottingham Forest can count on the good memories of a 3-0 win at the Etihad in a 2009 FA Cup tie, thanks to goals from Nathan Tyson, Robert Earnshaw and Joe Garner. Nevertheless, both clubs are in completely different circumstances right now with a win by that score-line highly unlikely.
Forest can only hope their improved showings away from home this season will be rewarded heavily with any form of a result in Manchester. The rearguard action at Chelsea may have worked a treat, but Pep’s men are on a completely different level and are used to teams trying to soak up the pressure.
Match tickets
This match kicks off on Saturday 23rd September at 3 pm UK time and you can very much expect the Etihad Stadium in Manchester to be sold out.
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest tickets for the game are available on each club’s official channels but getting Manchester City tickets is always difficult due to the current standing of the club and their appeal as a global brand following last season’s treble win.
Considering their long unbeaten run at home and the fact that Forest were thumped 6-0 the last time they visited, few City fans will be missing this one.
Forest supporters and neutrals hoping to see a competitive match are advised to search at ticket reselling sites should they encounter stumbling blocks in a bid to attend the game.
Team news
Goalkeeper Zack Steffen is ruled out due to an ACL injury while Kevin De Bruyne is also a long-term absentee for Man City. However, they can expect to welcome John Stones and Jack Grealish back to the fold after the England internationals were unavailable for September’s call-up.
For Forest, Wayne Hennessey and Jonjo Shelvey are unavailable while the likes of Danilo, Giulian Biancone and Serge Aurier are doubts for the game.
Meanwhile, defender Harry Toffolo has been handed a five-month ban as well as a £20,956 fine by the Football Association after admitting to breaching 375 betting rules, the ban was suspended until the end of the 2024/25 season.
Line-ups
Erling Haaland scored a first-half hat-trick in the corresponding fixture last season and had gone three games without scoring at home leading up to the win over Fulham but he bounced back in typical Haaland style with the trifecta.
This means that all five of the Norwegian’s Premier League hat-tricks have come at the Etihad as he rises to six league goals already this season.
Haaland’s supporting cast is of utmost importance and Jeremy Doku will be looking to make a wide spot his, with that directness and ability to stretch play.
Man City: Ederson; Walker, Dias, Akanji, Gvardiol; Rodri, Kovacic; Doku, Alvarez, Foden; Haaland
Forest are reaping the benefits of the continuity and resilience their manager has instilled amidst a high turnover of players since last season’s return to the top flight. They have created a playing identity and know their individual roles within that system.
Keen to show for their bright start to this season, the Reds also have a clinical goal-scorer in Taiwo Awoniyi who continued his goalscoring form with an acrobatic goal for Nigeria during the international break.
Anthony Elanga has certainly impressed in his cameo appearances so far, grabbing a goal and assist each and he is expected to fill the void left by the pacy Brennan Johnson, who left for Tottenham Hotspur on transfer Deadline Day.
Nottingham Forest: Turner; Boly, McKenna, Worrall; Aurier, Yates, Mangala, Aina; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Awoniyi
Prediction
Man City have won 19 consecutive home games in all competitions and are expected to score at least three goals against Cooper’s men.
Regardless, Nottingham Forest have scored in their last 11 Premier League games and will fancy themselves to breach the Man City net this time. Reducing the amount of goals scored by City at the other end will also do well for their confidence.
Man City 4-1 Nottingham Forest