Nuno looking beyond Man City´s poor form ahead of clash with Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo insists Manchester City remain a top-quality side despite their poor run of form heading into Wednesday’s Premier League contest.

City have gone seven games without a win in all competitions – the longest-such streak in Pep Guardiola’s managerial career – with six of those ending in defeat.

Sunday’s 2-0 loss at leaders Liverpool leaves the reigning champions fifth and now 11 points adrift of the Reds, but Nuno is looking beyond this poor run of form before facing off at the Etihad Stadium.

“It’s the reality of the game – you always have ups and downs,” Nuno said. “Every team has to be ready to face those moments of uncertainty when things are not going well.

“It’s how long you stay there and how you bounce back from those moments; how you reorganise and improve. Their run doesn’t take away the quality and the talent they have.

“Let’s not forget, they’re the champions and have won so much with such quality players and such a good manager. When you have such quality players and play such good football, for sure they’ll turn it around.”

Recharge and go again. pic.twitter.com/H5bQhrPL74

— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) December 2, 2024

City are only one point and one place better off than Forest, who put back-to-back defeats against Arsenal and Newcastle United behind them with a 1-0 win over Ipswich Town at the weekend.

Guardiola, who has won 18 trophies across his eight full seasons as City boss, is determined to battle on having only just signed a new two-year contract.

“I’ve lived better before than now,” he said. “But I’m incredibly honest with myself and, when we were winning a lot, my perspective was I was fortunate to live that.

“Now I’m not depressed that everything is going bad. When I think I cannot do it we will talk with the club but I feel that I want to do it and life is not in all departments perfect.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Manchester City – Erling Haaland

Haaland has failed to score in back-to-back Premier League games for City, although he does still have 15 goals in his past 11 games at the Etihad Stadium in all competitions.

The leading Premier League top scorer this season, who has 12 goals in 13 matches overall, has also netted four times in two games on home soil against Forest.

Nottingham Forest – Chris Wood

Wood scored the only goal of the game in the 1-0 win over Ipswich via the penalty spot and also has 12 goals in his past 13 away Premier League away games for Forest.

The New Zealand international is looking to become the first Reds player to score in four successive away games in the competition, and the first in the English top flight for the club since Garry Birtles in 1983-84.

Ready for more? pic.twitter.com/zpomnE4CtA

— Premier League (@premierleague) December 2, 2024

MATCH PREDICTION: MAN CITY WIN

City have conceded three-plus goals in both of their past two home games in all competitions, which they last managed in 1963 when going on to be relegated from the top flight.

Guardiola’s men may be in poor form, but they are unbeaten in their past eight league games against Forest stretching back to a 3-2 loss in the second tier in December 1997.

Forest have also lost their past four away league games against City by an aggregate scoreline of 12-0, while they are winless in their past seven top-flight visits since 1989.

The Reds have lost their past five away games against reigning top-flight champions by an aggregate scoreline of 21-2, meanwhile, since beating Manchester City 2-1 in December 1994.

If the omens were not already stacked against Forest, opponents City are unbeaten in their past 31 home Premier League games on a Wednesday, winning each of the past 20.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Manchester City win – 66.8%
Nottingham Forest win – 14.8%
Draw – 18.4%