Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City predictions: City patience can be rewarded
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- Forest looking to build on last month’s 1-0 win over Pep Guardiola's side
- City are playing their eighth FA Cup semi-final in the last nine seasons
- Recommended bet: Tie/Manchester City - half-time/full-time
Manchester City and Nottingham Forest put the battle for a top-five spot in the Premier League to one side this weekend as they head to Wembley on Sunday for an FA Cup semi-final.
Injury-hit City saw off the Tricky Trees 3-0 at the Etihad in December, but Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have done well to stay in the Champions League hunt and will fancy they can reach their first FA Cup final since 1991 after beating the champions 1-0 at the City Ground last month.
Team news
Ola Aina (calf) and Eric da Sliva Moreira (ankle) will be unavailable for Forest, but Jota Silva will hope to be involved, having failed to make the bench for Monday’s 2-1 victory at Tottenham.
Citizens goalkeeper Ederson is struggling with a groin problem while John Stones, Erling Haaland, Nathan Ake and long-term absentee Rodri are all ruled out.
The stats
Three of Forest’s four FA Cup games this season have featured fewer than three goals and they have lost two of their last nine matches in all competitions.
Both teams have scored in City’s last three FA Cup games and Pep Guardiola’s side are unbeaten in their last seven matches in all competitions.
City have led at half-time in just three of their last 12 matches and six of the Tricky Trees’ last 11 matches have been level at the interval.
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Prediction
Just a point separates Manchester City and Nottingham Forest in the Premier League table and they have claimed a win apiece over each other so far this season, so they could be difficult to separate when they meet in the second FA Cup semi-final of the weekend on Sunday.
City’s campaign has been a big disappointment even though they are back up to third in the table and Forest will fancy their chances after a 1-0 victory over the men from Manchester in March.
Guardiola’s side are understandably favourites as they will be playing in such familiar surroundings, having reached the last four of the FA Cup in eight of the last nine seasons.
However, while they are unbeaten in the seven games since Callum Hudson Odoi’s goal gave Forest their win at the City Ground, they have not been quite firing early on in their matches.
They have been winning at half-time in just three of their last 12 games, so it is worth taking a chance that they will be unable to gain a first-half advantage as Forest look to keep things tight and settle into the game.
Their big-game experience could tell in the second half, so the best course of action looks to be to back City to come good in the second half after going into the break level.
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