Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City: Predictions, Betting odds, Lineups, Preview

Explore Coral's detailed preview for Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City in the Premier League. Stats, odds, predictions, and lineups for the 12:30 GMT match.

• Fixture: Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City
• Date: Saturday, 27 December 2025
• Kick-off: 12:30 GMT
• Venue: City Ground

Nottingham Forest come into this match with a mixed bag of results, showing they can be a formidable force at times but not always. Their recent victories against Tottenham and Wolves suggest they could pose a threat to Manchester City, especially with the likes of Gibbs-White and Jesus in fine form. However, their losses to Everton and Brighton indicate vulnerabilities that City might exploit.

Manchester City, on the other hand, have been in scintillating form, winning all their recent matches with convincing scorelines. Their attacking prowess, led by Haaland, combined with a solid defence, makes them favourites going into this game. Despite Nottingham Forest's potential to cause an upset, City's consistency and depth should see them through.

Nottingham Forest have shown a rollercoaster of form in their recent matches. They've managed to secure impressive home wins against Tottenham and Wolves, showcasing their ability to dominate in some games. However, their form hasn't always been convincing, with losses to Everton and Brighton highlighting areas where they need to improve. This mixed bag of results suggests a team with potential but also clear weaknesses.

Recent Premier League Results:

• Loss: 0-1 vs Fulham (A)

• Win: 3-0 vs Tottenham (H)

• Loss: 0-3 vs Everton (A)

• Win: 1-0 vs Wolves (A)

• Loss: 0-2 vs Brighton (H)

Manchester City have been in top form, winning all their recent matches with a strong goal difference. Their ability to score freely, as seen in their 5-4 win against Fulham and 3-0 victories against West Ham, Crystal Palace, and Sunderland, demonstrates their attacking prowess. This consistent performance across home and away games indicates a team in peak condition, ready to take on any challenge.

Recent Premier League Results:

• Win: 3-0 vs West Ham (H)
• Win: 3-0 vs Crystal Palace (A)
• Win: 3-0 vs Sunderland (H)
• Win: 5-4 vs Fulham (A)
• Win: 3-2 vs Leeds (H)

The head-to-head record between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City shows a competitive but slightly one-sided rivalry. Manchester City have won three out of the last five encounters, with a notable 3-0 victory at home in December 2024. Nottingham Forest managed a single win in this period, a 1-0 victory in March 2025. This pattern suggests Manchester City have the upper hand, but Forest have shown they can occasionally upset the odds.

Recent Premier League Results

• Nottingham Forest 1-0 Manchester City (08 Mar 2025)

• Manchester City 3-0 Nottingham Forest (04 Dec 2024)

• Nottingham Forest 0-2 Manchester City (28 Apr 2024)

• Manchester City 2-0 Nottingham Forest (23 Sep 2023)

• Nottingham Forest 1-1 Manchester City (18 Feb 2023)

• Ibrahima Sangare (International Duty) – Out 

• Willy Boly (International Duty) - Out 

• Ryan Yates (Hamstring) - Doubt 

• Chris Wood (Knee) – Doubt 

• Ola Aina (Hamstring) - Doubt 

• Rayan Ait-Nouri (International Duty) – Out 

• Omar Marmoush (International Duty) - Out 

• Jeremy Doku (Leg) – Doubt 

• John Stones (Muscle) - Doubt 

• Rodri (Lack of Fitness) – Doubt 

• Mateo Kovacic (Ankle) – Out 

• Oscar Bobb (Muscle) - Doubt 

• Predicted lineup: Victor (GK), Savona (DF), Milenkovic (DF), Murillo (DF), Williams (DF), Luiz (MF), Anderson (MF), Hutchinson (MF), Gibbs-White (MF), Hudson-Odoi (MF), Jesus (AT)

Nottingham Forest are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Victor in goal and a back four of Savona, Milenkovic, Murillo, and Williams. This setup should allow them to maintain a solid defensive structure while relying on the creativity of Anderson, Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, and Hudson-Odoi to support striker Jesus in attack.

• Predicted lineup: Donnarumma (GK), Nunes (DF), Dias (DF), Gvardiol (DF), O'Reilly (DF), Reijnders (MF), Nico (MF), Silva (MF), Cherki (MF), Foden (MF), Haaland (AT)

Manchester City are likely to deploy a 4-3-2-1 formation, with Donnarumma between the posts and a backline of Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, and O'Reilly. This formation should provide a strong defensive base while allowing the midfield trio of Reijnders, Nico, and Silva to control the game, feeding the attacking talents of Cherki, Foden, and Haaland.

• Jesus vs Gvardiol: Igor Jesus's ability to find space and score will be tested against Josko Gvardiol's defensive prowess.
• Gibbs-White vs Silva: Morgan Gibbs-White's creativity will be crucial in breaking down Bernardo Silva's midfield control.
• Anderson (Nottingham Forest): Elliot Anderson's role in midfield will be vital for Nottingham Forest's chances of controlling the game's tempo.
• Nunes (Manchester City): Matheus Nunes's versatility and defensive work will be key in maintaining Manchester City's solid backline.

Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City at 12:30 GMT on Saturday, 27 December 2025 is being broadcast live for viewers in the UK on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate

Coral is predicting that the score will be Nottingham Forest 1-3 Manchester City in this match

Coral is giving fans the ability to bet on various markets for Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City, including match betting, correct score and anytime scorer odds.

Coral brings you the most exciting offers to enhance your experience.

For the best Premier League outright predictions, explore our guide.

Odds and market details are accurate as of the time of publication.