City Hit Their Stride
Man City have been putting pressure on Arsenal in the title fight lately, and Pep’s team are expected to win against Nottingham Forest this evening. We’ve taken a closer look at tonight’s clash in Manchester, including predictions, team analysis and more.
Manchester City look very much like themselves again — just in time for the decisive stretch of the season. On Wednesday night, Pep Guardiola’s side chase a fifth consecutive league victory when Nottingham Forest visit the Etihad Stadium. City secured a narrow 1–0 win away to Leeds at the weekend, while Forest returned from the south coast empty-handed after a 2–1 defeat against Brighton — a result that did little to ease their PL survival concerns.
Analysis
Man City missing their star striker proved far from decisive for Manchester City last weekend. New arrival Antoine Semenyo stepped up when given the chance and scored the only goal of the match at Elland Road. Just before half-time, Rayan Ait-Nouri delivered a precise cross that Semenyo converted to seal the victory.
The result extended City’s strong run of form. Guardiola’s side have now won six consecutive matches in all competitions, four of which have come in the PL. They remain five points behind league leaders Arsenal, although City still hold a game in hand over the North London club.
Their home form is equally impressive. Since the CL defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in November, City have gone 13 matches unbeaten at the Etihad, including seven straight victories. Wednesdays have also been particularly productive for Guardiola — the Catalan has won 24 of his 26 PL home matches played on that day, averaging an impressive 2.85 points per game.
Nottingham Forest arrive in Manchester facing a far more difficult situation. The club’s fourth manager of the season, Vitor Pereira, has yet to spark a turnaround in domestic competition. A convincing 3–0 win against Fenerbahce in the EL raised hopes, but the team have since suffered three consecutive defeats.
Forest delivered a respectable performance in their 1–0 loss to Liverpool, but Brighton were deserved 2–1 winners at the Amex Stadium. Goalkeeper Matz Sels was required to make several important saves to prevent the scoreline from becoming more damaging.
At the bottom of the table, the situation remains unchanged following the weekend’s round of matches. Forest sit 17th, two points above West Ham and two behind Tottenham with ten matches remaining. Pereira is still searching for his first PL victory of the 2025–26 season and has lost 10 of his 12 league matches overall.
History offers little encouragement either. Forest have lost their last three away games against Manchester City by an aggregate score of 11–0.
Team News
Their big man up front is feeling better after the injury that ruled him out against Leeds, though it remains uncertain whether he will be available for Wednesday’s match. Guardiola must also assess Nico O’Reilly, who picked up an ankle knock in the same game. Mateo Kovacic and Josko Gvardiol are confirmed absentees with foot and calf injuries respectively.
If O’Reilly is rested, either Tijjani Reijnders or Phil Foden could step into the starting lineup. Nico Gonzalez may also feature in midfield if Rodri is given a break during a busy run of fixtures.
For Nottingham Forest, Stefan Ortega could miss the chance to face his former club due to a calf injury sustained in the EL. Matz Sels has recovered from a groin issue and is available again. John Victor, Chris Wood, Willy Boly and Nicolo Savona remain sidelined.
Verdict and Betting Angle
Manchester City have rediscovered their rhythm both in performance and results, and their record at the Etihad has been particularly strong. Even without their star striker, Guardiola has multiple attacking options capable of deciding matches.
Forest continue to struggle defensively and have historically found trips to Manchester extremely difficult.
All signs point toward a comfortable evening for the hosts.
Tip: Manchester City to win at 1.46.
Don’t forget that we also have Early Payout on this match, which you can read more about here.
Odds might have changed since the writing and/or publication of this article.
Last Updated: 04.03.2026
