- Team form: City can attack and score in bunches, as they have scored 11 times in their last 5 games.
- Opposition form: Forest have been in poor form, winning none of their last 5 matches (D1, L4).
- Home record: Forest have won none of their 4 home games so far (D1, L3).
Cityzens can open up Reds’ defense
Forest's recent form is slipping in the wrong direction after a 2-0 away defeat to Brentford and a 1-1 away draw against relegation rivals Ipswich Town over the last week.
The City Ground outfit are 19th in the Premier League 2026/2027 table after nine games and already under pressure as Oliver Glasner's side prepare for the visit of the English Premier League's new table-toppers.
The 2026/2027 season has been a tricky one for Enzo Maresca's side to navigate, but they have managed to maintain the backbone of the previous season's positional play while adding more pace and some more aggressive pressing triggers.
City have scored 11 goals in their last 5 competitive matches, so they are still capable of turning any game into a shooting competition when their attack clicks.
Nottingham Forest are a very different animal, as Glasner's men try to get compact, contest every ball and play a direct game in transition.
However, they've lost their way just a little in their most recent two outings – a 1-1 away draw at Ipswich Town and a 2-0 away defeat to Brentford.
Back Both Teams to Score with the value of City
Match odds and selection
The match odds for this game are all skewed towards City at 1.66, although both 4.65 for Forest and 3.95 for the draw are a little too high in our eyes.
Our main selection here has to be the Cityzens to win at short odds, but Forest are so compact that it could be a much closer match than that.
Forest's form, particularly their record of one draw and three defeats in four home games, suggests that City will eventually break through in this game.
The Reds have conceded just three goals in their four home Premier League 2026/2027 games, but they still haven't figured out how to turn that into results.
City, who have also conceded just thrice in four away games, will be the standard-bearers here.
Key points
- A BTTS bet, however, looks the most interesting option to make this selection profitable at around 1.57.
- The Cityzens do have the firepower to score a couple of goals, but the Reds are equally equipped to cause problems on the counter attack.
- While Dan Ndoye, who has one goal in five Premier League 2026/2027 appearances, is Forest's best chance of a goal, Morgan Gibbs-White has two assists in five Premier League 2026/2027 games and looks the best chance creator on the break for the hosts.
Reds can keep it close with their direct play
This rivalry tends to stay close on the scoresheet, with Forest averaging 1.0 goal scored in their last five games against City while the visitors have averaged 1.0 goal per game when travelling to the City Ground.
That's why we think the hosts can get on the board and make this close enough for BTTS to be a value wager.
The last two meetings between these clubs have finished in a 2-2 draw at the Etihad and a City win.
Forest haven't won in their last two against City (L1, D1) and that record could get a bit worse on Saturday.
City have a record in the Premier League 2026/2027 with 21 points from nine games and come into this as the obvious favorites.
Phil Foden has four goals in City's last five, while Erling Haaland has five in five in the Premier League 2026/2027 and looks just as lethal as ever.
We think City will win away, but it could be closer than the odds suggest given Forest's ability to disrupt in transition.
