The City Ground is set for a big one. Nottingham Forest welcomes Manchester City this Friday, December 27, 2025, for a 12:30 p.m. kick-off. City’s got their eyes on the top of the Premier League table. They’re only two points behind leaders Arsenal right now. This match is a real chance for them to push up there.
Pep Guardiola’s squad just won 3-0 against West Ham. They’re feeling good about that. For this upcoming game, Guardiola shared some good news on Rodri. He’s “much, much better” after a hamstring injury and is being checked for availability. That’s a relief for City fans. But John Stones (thigh) and Jérémy Doku (calf) are still out.
So, they won’t play this one. Guardiola also joked that his players were “incredibly disciplined” over Christmas with their weight. He said he indulged a bit himself, though. Fan previews are really calling for a comfortable City win. They expect a lineup with players like Don Romeo, Matias Nunes, and Nico. It seems like not too many changes are planned, even with Forest’s own problems.
Forest, meanwhile, will pay tribute to a club legend. Former player John Robertson died on Christmas Day at 72 after a long illness. It’s going to be an emotional day at the City Ground. On the field, Forest’s recent form isn’t great. They lost 1-0 to Fulham. Their coach, Sean Dyche, said they “never really threatened” in that game. He wants them to “do the basics better.”
Dyche did take over in October and has improved things, winning seven of his 13 games. Four of those wins were in the Premier League. But here’s a stat: Dyche has never beaten Pep Guardiola in 16 Premier League attempts. He’s drawn two and lost 14, according to BBC Sport. Only Steve Bruce has a longer winless run against one manager in the Premier League.
The history between these two teams is pretty interesting. Forest actually beat Manchester City 1-0 at the City Ground back in March of last season. That was a huge result for them. Callum Hudson-Odoi scored the winner in the 83rd minute that day. Morgan Gibbs-White had a glorious assist. Pep Guardiola admitted it was a “tight game” and that City “were not precise.” That win put a little space between the teams in the race for a Champions League spot. But that March game was under Nuno Espírito Santo. Sean Dyche is now in charge.
Forest has a pretty good record themselves during the festive period. They’ve won their last four Premier League matches played between Christmas and New Year. All of those were under Nuno Espírito Santo in 2023 and 2024. City also has a strong record around this time. They haven’t lost any of their last 10 Premier League matches between Christmas and New Year. That’s since losing to Wolves back in 2019-20, according to the BBC’s preview.
Manchester City has been on a roll lately. They’ve won their last three Premier League games all by a 3-0 scoreline. They could make history in this match. No team in English top-flight history has ever won four in a row by three or more goals to nil. That’s quite a record they’re chasing! Erling Haaland, City’s main man, has scored five goals in six Premier League appearances against Forest.
He even got a hat-trick in his first game against them in August 2022. But since then, it seems like he’s scored just two goals from 10 shots in his last five games against them. So, Forest can sometimes keep him quieter.
Forest’s home form this season isn’t as good as last year. They earned 29 points from 12 home games between October and April last season. Only Liverpool had more. But they’ve only gotten 11 points from their last 12 home games. That’s not great.
Only West Ham and Wolves have gained fewer points among ever-present sides, as stats show. And Forest has failed to score in nine Premier League games this season. That’s more than last season already. Only Wolves are worse in that category. City has also failed to score in half of their Premier League away games against Forest. But they’ve always avoided defeat when they have scored.
This fixture, “Nottingham Forest v Manchester City: Gut Feelings,” really highlights the unpredictable nature of football. City is pushing for the top spot. Forest is looking to bounce back and honor a club legend. It’s gonna be a tough battle at the City Ground. Fans can expect a real fight. And who knows, maybe Forest can pull off another upset like in March. It won’t be easy, though. You can find more match highlights and past encounters on various platforms.
Baishali Karmakar 
Govind Singh