Relegation-battling Nottingham Forest face title-chasing Manchester City in a huge Premier League encounter.
Victory would lift Forest up to 16th in the table, whilst Man City can go top for a few hours at least with a win.
Team News
Dan Ndoye is ruled out for Forest after he missed their 1-0 defeat at Fulham due to a thigh injury.
Willy Boly, Ibrahim Sangare (both international duty), Chris Wood (knee), Ryan Yates and Ola Aina (both hamstring) are still ruled out.
Man City have no fresh injury concerns to report following their 3-0 victory at home to West Ham.
John Stones (thigh) could return if fit for selection, but Jeremy Doku (leg), Rayan Ait-Nouri, Omar Marmoush (both international duty), Mateo Kovacic (foot), Oscar Bobb and Rodri (both hamstring) remain sidelined.
When is Kick-Off?
Forest host Man City at the City Ground on Saturday 27 December at 12:30pm GMT, live on TNT Sports 1 in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Forest have claimed four points in their last five league meetings against Man City (W1, D1, L3).
- Man City have claimed seven points from three of their six previous Premier League trips to Forest (W2, D1, L3).
- Both teams have scored in four of their last six meetings at the City Ground.
- Forest have kept a single clean sheet at home this season in the league (W3, D1, L4).
- Eight of Erling Haaland’s 19 league goals for City this season were scored away from home.
Prediction
Having found themselves second best at Fulham amidst their marginally better attacking stats, Forest know that was a winnable game lost because this is a tough ask for them unless they go defensive and look to play on the counter-attack to try and snatch a draw at minimum.
Man City and Erling Haaland though are in hot form currently after a dominant win against West Ham, but there is no doubting that they were wasteful in some of their finishing so a more polished display will be needed if they’re to put the pressure back on Arsenal.
As good as it would be to see Forest take the fight to City, their priority probably has to be on Tuesday’s home game against Everton which is more winnable in contrast, because I do think that Pep Guardiola’s Cityzens will be far too strong here.
Prediction: Nottingham Forest 0-2 Man City
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