Things don begin hot for top of Premier League table as Manchester City dey plan to jump Arsenal with victory against Nottingham Forest for Saturday early kick-off.
Pep Guardiola boys dey put serious pressure on the Gunners, but keeping this winning run no go easy at all, as Forest dey ready to end their 30-year wait for consistent success against City for City Ground.
Match Preview
Make we start with the home team. Nottingham Forest enter this weekend match after winning six of their last nine games across all competitions. Inside that run na serious 3-0 win against Tottenham Hotspur wey shock everybody about two weeks ago.
But Sean Dyche and him boys no fit build on that momentum as dem put poor performance for their 1-0 loss away to Fulham. That result still leave Forest just one position above relegation zone.
Forest go heavily depend on their home form for this game. Dem don win four of their last six matches for City Ground, and since Dyche take over, dem don record just one home loss.
Forest fans still remember Manchester City last visit to this same ground, when Tricky Trees shock the champions with historic 1-0 win. That victory na their first league win against City since 1995.
Now, Nottingham Forest get chance to win back-to-back league games against Manchester City for the first time in 30 years. If that motivation never enough, victory for Saturday go move Forest eight points clear of relegation zone before other 3pm matches start.
On the other side, Manchester City catch headlines during the week after Pep Guardiola talk say e go weigh players before the trip to Nottingham. He even threaten to drop anybody wey return with too much Christmas weight.
That comment show say Guardiola no dey joke with this title race. City confidence don grow steadily for December after dem win seven straight matches across all competitions.
City dey especially ruthless recently, winning their last three Premier League matches with identical 3-0 scorelines. If dem continue like this, dem go become first team for English top-flight history to win four consecutive league games by three or more goals while keeping clean sheets.
Guardiola side don concede just one goal in their last five games. That lone goal come for their 2-1 Champions League away win against Real Madrid earlier this month.
This strong run, including five straight league wins, don push City to within two points of league leaders Arsenal. A win in Nottingham go take City to top of the table, at least until Arsenal play Brighton later in the day.
Manchester City don make habit of overtaking Arsenal during second half of the season, and ending the year on top fit reopen old wounds for their London rivals.
Nottingham Forest Premier League form: W L W L W L
Nottingham Forest form (all competitions): L W L W W L
Manchester City Premier League form: W W W W W W
Manchester City form (all competitions): W W W W W W
Team News
Nottingham Forest welcome back Nicolas Dominguez, Matz Sels and Taiwo Awoniyi to the squad for their loss against Fulham.
This match come too early for striker Chris Wood, wey still dey train alone as e recover from knee injury.
Ola Aina dey close to return and don resume training with first team, but e still never fully match-fit.
Ryan Yates and Dan Ndoye dey under assessment, while Ibrahim Sangare and Willy Boly dey away on international duty for Africa Cup of Nations.
For Manchester City side, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Omar Marmoush dey also away representing their countries at AFCON.
Jeremy Doku na big doubt for Saturday. Guardiola don hint say e fit return for January clash against Sunderland. John Stones and Oscar Bobb also expected to miss this match.
Rodri still dey recover from hamstring injury, and nobody sure if e go feature. Mateo Kovacic, on the other hand, expected to miss another three months of football.
Possible Starting Lineups
Nottingham Forest possible XI:
John Victor; Williams, Murillo, Milenkovic, Savona; Douglas Luiz, Anderson; Hudson-Odoi, Gibbs-White, Hutchinson; Igor Jesus
Manchester City possible XI:
Donnarumma; O’Reilly, Gvardiol, Dias, Nunes; Reijnders, Nico, Silva; Foden, Cherki; Haaland
Prediction
We say: Nottingham Forest 1-3 Manchester City
Manchester City dey enjoy one mad run of form, and e go hard make inconsistent Nottingham Forest stop them.
City lose their last visit to City Ground, but with their eyes fully on Premier League title, dem go hungry to correct that record.
Based on momentum, quality and motivation, we dey expect convincing away win for Guardiola and his boys.
This page dey LIVE and we go dey update am regularly as more team news, confirmed lineups and post-match reactions drop.
