Will the Skyblues also win their sixth league match?

After five league games in the Premier League, four teams are still without defeat in the motherland of football, but only one team has a completely clean slate with five wins. Unsurprisingly, it is the reigning title holders from Manchester, with Guardiola’s team already in fine form at the start of the season. This weekend, there is not too much risk in betting on a sixth league win between Manchester City and Nottingham Forest.

Last year’s promoted side are looking back on a satisfactory start to the season themselves, with seven points from five games, but they are also aware that the stakes are normally too high at the Etihad Stadium. A look at the current betting odds confirms this thesis impressively, because in the Manchester City vs. Nottingham forecast, the hosts do not bring more than a 1.16. Such a bet is not particularly profitable, so we went in search of alternative possibilities and found what we were looking for. The reasons for our decisions are explained in the following lines.

The Skyblues can not only go ahead this weekend, but increase the pressure on the competition, after all, their closest pursuers have tough games ahead of them. Arsenal and Tottenham go head-to-head in the North London Derby, while Liverpool also have a tough draw in the form of Conference League winners West Ham United.

Manchester City – Statistics & current form

On Tuesday night, some fans had to rub their eyes in amazement as they checked the results in the UEFA Champions League at half-time. Manchester City 0 – Red Star Belgrade 1. In fact, the reigning defending champions were trailing at the break after the Serbians’ only finish was ruled to be within the rules (no offside) after VAR study. The dominance of the favourites was overwhelming (37:3 shots; 76 % possession) and in the second half the favourites did justice to their role and finally celebrated a 3:1 opening victory. The match-winner this time was not Erling Braut Haaland, but Julian Alvarez with a brace.

Make no mistake in the domestic championship

With five wins from their opening five league games, Manchester City have got off to a flying start and could claim six opening wins in a row for only the second time in the club’s history, only previously achieved in 2015/16.Furthermore, their impressive home record could continue, with all 12 home games in the 2023 calendar year ending in a home win for Manchester City. Another win could equal the PL record of city rivals Manchester United, who won their first 13 league home games in 2011. Given these figures, the low odds on Manchester City vs. Nottingham are also justified.

In recent weeks and months, Manchester City have delivered impressive statistics in many respects. One such statistic is ex-Dortmund player Haaland, who has played 40 PL games so far and scored no less than 43 goals. In the same period, for example, the entire Nottingham Forest team has scored only 40 goals. As every weekend, a goal from the Norwegian is to be expected, but by now these betting odds are in the cellar and at a 1.40 there is no value to be seen.

Predicted Manchester City line-up:

Manchester City (Expected line-up) 4-2-3-1

Nottingham – Statistics & current form

Steve Cooper’s Garibaldi Reds were in relegation trouble for a long time last season, but managed to stay in the league thanks to a good finish. In 2023/24, they should be able to stay in the league in a much more confident manner and the first few games have given them hope in that respect. Before the sixth matchday, the team is in eighth place – the best position in the English football top flight since September 1998. After this weekend, however, Nottingham will probably slip down again, because points growth at the league leader is not to be expected. Nottingham have played the current league leaders eight times in the English Premier League so far, and have never managed a win (three draws, five defeats).

Awoniyi as a guarantee of success

In April, hardly anyone still believed that the promoted team would hold the league. In the meantime, there were eleven league games in a row without a win of their own, before the team improved significantly in the finish and was able to conserve this strong form into the new season. Nottingham have lost only three of their last eleven games in the English top flight and have collected 18 points.

They have picked up seven points so far this season and Nigerian Taiwo Awoniyi has been a consistent scorer. The former Union Berlin attacker has scored or provided the assist in the last nine league games. On Monday night, in the 1-1 draw against promoted Burnley, he did not add his name to the scoresheet himself, but set up Callum Hudson-Odoi’s equaliser in exemplary fashion.

Against the almost overpowering opponents at the Etihad Stadium, Nottingham Forest can at least draw from the full and send the best formation into the race. However, this is purely a bonus game. Especially because of the disastrous away record last year (1-5-13, goal difference 11:44), the only question is how high the home side will win. With Manchester City vs. Nottingham, a prediction on a handicap win is certainly also worth considering.

Predicted line-up of Nottingham:

Nottingham Forest (Expected line-up) 3-4-2-1

Manchester City – Nottingham Direct comparison / H2H balance

In December 1997 – then still in the second division – Nottingham Forest celebrated their last victory against the Citizens. Since then, the two teams have faced each other only six times, of which Manchester City won four games. Last season, Guardiola’s side gave the promoted side no chance, sending the Garibaldi Reds home with a hefty 6-0 thrashing.

Manchester City – Nottingham Tip

There are statistics in football that make you smile. In the case of this clash, the familiar OPTA data spits out a fun fact. An opponent in the Premier League that starts with “N” is no problem for Manchester City. Manchester City have won all of their last 15 home games against teams with an N in the first position (Newcastle, Norwich, Nottingham) and have an impressive goal difference of 60:4. These figures also suggest that the betting on Manchester City vs. Nottingham that both teams will not score is obvious.

Those who decide to bet that not both teams will score can spice this up a bit. We can’t imagine a game without City scoring, and so we are predicting that Manchester City vs Nottingham will be won by the hosts without conceding a goal. The odds are even a little higher than for the bet that both teams will not score. Despite the home side’s offensive power, an under 3.5 also seems quite realistic, as the Cooper team from Nottingham has been able to stabilise its defence considerably in recent months.