Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City predictions: Rested City can secure welcome success
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Manchester City won the first meeting this season 3-0
Forest have not won any of their last five matches in 90 minutes
Recommended bet: Manchester City to win
Manchester City should feel some benefit from their last-16 exit in the Champions League as they go into Saturday's Premier League clash at Nottingham Forest after a rare seven-day break between matches.
On top of that, Pep Guardiola's side were able to negotiate their FA Cup tie against Championship side Plymouth without using several of their stars, so the likes of Omar Marmoush, Josko Gvardiol and Ederson have been able to enjoy an extended break.
Nottingham Forest are one place and one point ahead of City in third place, but their red-hot form cooled off in February and they have not won in 90 minutes in five outings since thrashing Brighton 7-0 on the first day of last month.
That performance showed how strong Forest can be at the City Ground, where they have lost only two of their 13 league matches, but they have drawn their last two home games against Arsenal and Ipswich, before winning on penalties against the Tractor Boys in the FA Cup.
City are far from the force of old, but they have managed back-to-back wins, including a 1-0 victory at Tottenham in their last league road trip.
The champions also won the teams' first meeting this season 3-0 in December with goals from Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku.
Team news
City will be without defender Nathan Ake, who underwent foot surgery this week and joins John Stones, Manuel Akanji, Rodri and Oscar Bobb on the injured list.
Erling Haaland is expected to be fit after a recent knee issue.
Forest can bring back Nikola Milenkovic, who was rested for the FA Cup game, while Chris Wood, Morgan Gibbs-White, Elliot Anderson and Neco Williams are likely to start after making substitute appearances against Ipswich.
Midfielder Ryan Yates could keep his place after scoring Forest's equaliser in that match.
The stats
Six of Nottingham Forest's last eight Premier League games have had over 2.5 goals.
Nottingham Forest have lost only two of their 13 home games in the league this season.
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Forest have won only one of their last seven matches in 90 minutes.
Manchester City have not drawn any of their last 12 matches.
Manchester City have won to nil in four of their last five games against Nottingham Forest.
Both teams have scored in only one of the last seven league and cup meetings between the clubs.
City have scored in each of their last nine away games.
Prediction
Manchester City have not had the season they expected but they managed to beat Nottingham Forest comfortably even when they were having their worst spell of a disappointing campaign and they can pick up another victory against Nuno's team this weekend.
City's 3-0 home win over Forest in December came when they had lost six and drawn one of their previous seven games, and it was followed by another five-match winless streak.
The Premier League champions also triumphed 2-0 home and away against Forest last season and won 1-0 in their last league outing at Tottenham.
Ake's injury is just the latest selection issue for Guardiola but with Haaland fit again and Marmoush set to return, the visitors still have plenty of firepower.
It tends to be all or nothing for City, who have seven wins and five defeats in their last 12 matches, but those losses were all to elite teams (Real Madrid twice, Paris St-Germain, Arsenal and Liverpool) and they should be capable of getting the better of Forest.
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