Analysis and odds for Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest at 02:30 on March 5th, Premier League

Analysis and odds for Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest at 02:30 on March 5th, 2026. Predictions for the result, expected lineups, and expert insights for the match between Manchester City and Nottingham Forest in Premier League round 29.

Match Analysis: Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest

90-minute Asian Handicap: 0 : 1 1/4

Total Goals: 3

Manchester City enter Premier League round 28 in formidable form, riding a six-match winning streak across all competitions, including four consecutive victories in their most recent league fixtures. In the previous round, Pep Guardiola's side secured a 1-0 away win against Leeds, despite Erling Haaland's absence due to a minor injury. Antoine Semenyo once again proved his worth by scoring the decisive goal, bringing his tally to 13 goals and placing him third in the Golden Boot race, while Haaland still leads with 22 goals.

At the Etihad this season, Man City have scored 34 goals, accounting for 61% of their total, averaging 2.43 goals per game while conceding only 0.64 per match. This record places them first for home goals scored and second for fewest home goals conceded. Notably, they are unbeaten in their last 13 Premier League home games and have won their last seven in a row at their own stadium.

In stark contrast, Nottingham Forest are struggling, having lost three of their last four domestic matches and sitting among the teams with the most defeats this season (14 losses after 27 rounds). They lost 1-2 to Brighton in the last round, following previous defeats to Liverpool, with a 3-0 win over Fenerbahce in the Europa League being a rare bright spot. Forest's away form is concerning, having scored only 12 goals and conceded 20, averaging 0.92 goals scored and 1.54 conceded per away game, ranking 18th for away goals scored.

Head-to-head history also heavily favors Man City, who have won four of the last five meetings, including a 2-1 victory in December 2025. In the last nine encounters, seven have ended with 2 or 3 total goals, and Forest have failed to score in five of their last six visits to the Etihad. Given their stable form, effective attack, and home advantage, Man City are highly likely to continue their winning run to put pressure on league leaders Arsenal.

Team News for Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest

Manchester City: Haaland's availability is uncertain; Nico O'Reilly requires a final fitness check; Kovacic (leg) and Gvardiol (calf) are ruled out.

Nottingham Forest: Ortega (calf), John Victor (knee), Chris Wood (knee), Willy Boly, Nicolo Savona (knee) remain unavailable; Sels has recovered.

Predicted Lineups for Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest

Manchester City: Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Guehi, Ait-Nouri; Gonzalez; Cherki, Reijnders, Foden, Semenyo; Marmoush.

Nottingham Forest: Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Sangare, Anderson; Ndoye, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus.

Recent Form of Manchester City:

01/03/2026: Leeds 0-1 Manchester City (Premier League)

22/02/2026: Manchester City 2-1 Newcastle (Premier League)

14/02/2026: Manchester City 2-0 Salford (FA Cup)

12/02/2026: Manchester City 3-0 Fulham (Premier League)

08/02/2026: Liverpool 1-2 Manchester City (Premier League)

Recent Form of Nottingham Forest:

01/03/2026: Brighton 2-1 Nottingham (Premier League)

27/02/2026: Nottingham 1-2 Fenerbahce (Europa League)

22/02/2026: Nottingham 0-1 Liverpool (Premier League)

20/02/2026: Fenerbahce 0-3 Nottingham (Europa League)

12/02/2026: Nottingham 0-0 Wolves (Premier League)

Recent Head-to-Head History between Manchester City and Nottingham Forest:

27/12/2025: Nottingham 1-2 Manchester City (Premier League)

27/04/2025: Nottingham 0-2 Manchester City (FA Cup)

08/03/2025: Nottingham 1-0 Manchester City (Premier League)

05/12/2024: Manchester City 3-0 Nottingham (Premier League)

28/04/2024: Nottingham 0-2 Manchester City (Premier League)

Match Prediction for Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest

With home advantage, excellent form, and superior squad quality, Manchester City have a strong chance of securing all three points. Nottingham Forest are unlikely to cause an upset given their inconsistent attack and poor record at the Etihad.

Predicted Score: Manchester City 3-1 Nottingham Forest