Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City Prediction & Betting Tips - FA Cup
England - FA Cup
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by Steve Ashfield | in FA Cup Predictions
Nottingham Forest's incredible season continues with an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley Stadium. The Red take on Manchester City who are looking to rescue what has been a disappointing season by their standards. Here's our match prediction.
When the season began, few expected Forest to be in the top ten of the Premier League, let alone challenging for a Champions League place next season. They have had a difficult time making it to this semi-final as you'll read in the form section of this preview.
Manchester City are attempting to reach a third successive FA Cup final. They were the losing finalists last season and this is the seventh season in a row they have reached the semi-finals, lifting the trophy twice. Their Premier League title has already been lost but they are in good form at present and there's still a lot to play for this season. The winners of this match will play either Crystal Palace in the final.
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Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City Form
Nottingham Forest and Manchester City Last Matches
3/6 (50%)
1/6 (17%)
2/6 (33%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
21 Apr 2025 - Premier League
12 Apr 2025 - Premier League
5 Apr 2025 - Premier League
1 Apr 2025 - Premier League
29 Mar 2025 - FA Cup
15 Mar 2025 - Premier League
3/6 (50%)
2/6 (33%)
1/6 (17%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
12 Apr 2025 - Premier League
1 Apr 2025 - Premier League
8 Mar 2025 - Premier League
3 Mar 2025 - FA Cup
26 Feb 2025 - Premier League
1 Feb 2025 - Premier League
2/6 (33%)
1/6 (17%)
3/6 (50%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
21 Apr 2025 - Premier League
5 Apr 2025 - Premier League
29 Mar 2025 - FA Cup
15 Mar 2025 - Premier League
23 Feb 2025 - Premier League
15 Feb 2025 - Premier League
5/6 (83%)
1/6 (17%)
0/6 (0%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
22 Apr 2025 - Premier League
19 Apr 2025 - Premier League
12 Apr 2025 - Premier League
6 Apr 2025 - Premier League
2 Apr 2025 - Premier League
30 Mar 2025 - FA Cup
4/6 (67%)
1/6 (17%)
1/6 (17%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
22 Apr 2025 - Premier League
12 Apr 2025 - Premier League
2 Apr 2025 - Premier League
15 Mar 2025 - Premier League
1 Mar 2025 - FA Cup
23 Feb 2025 - Premier League
3/6 (50%)
1/6 (17%)
2/6 (33%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
19 Apr 2025 - Premier League
6 Apr 2025 - Premier League
30 Mar 2025 - FA Cup
8 Mar 2025 - Premier League
26 Feb 2025 - Premier League
19 Feb 2025 - Champions League
Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City Stats: Head to Head (H2H)
17 %
17 %
67 %
Average stats (last H2H results)
8 Mar 2025 - Premier League
4 Dec 2024 - Premier League
28 Apr 2024 - Premier League
23 Sept 2023 - Premier League
18 Feb 2023 - Premier League
31 Aug 2022 - Premier League
Nottingham Forest - Manchester City: Form Analysis
Manchester City went above Nottingham Forest in the Premier League when beating Aston Villa 2-1 at home in midweek. They are now third in the table and looking on their way to the Champions League.
The win over Villa extended their unbeaten run to seven matches. The last three have each been won with nine goals scored and that's without Erling Haaland. Only one of their last 16 FA Cup games has been lost and that was last year's final.
To reach this semi-final, the Citizens have beaten Salford, Orient, Plymouth and Bournemouth. The last three of those games saw them concede the first goal in the match.
Difficult route to the last four for Forest.
Over 90 minutes, Forest have only won one match in this season's FA Cup. They beat Luton 2-0 in round three but since then, ties against Exeter, Ipswich and Brighton have been won by a penalty shootout. Not since 2014 have they won an away FA Cup match in 90 minutes.
Nottingham Forest can create history if they win this year's FA Cup. They will become the first club to win the trophy in three different centuries. Forest haven't won the FA Cup since 1959 in a game in which Roy Dwight (cousin of Elton John) scored.
Their last match produced a 2-1 win at Spurs, ending a run of two successive losses.
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Nottingham Forest against Manchester City Lineups: Starting 11
Formation : 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Formation : 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Substitutes
C. Miguel
DefenderMorato
W. Boly
MidfielderI. Sangare
R. Sosa
A. Elanga
J. Silva
T. Awoniyi
A. Moreno
Ederson
DefenderV. Reis
A. Khusanov
M. Akanji
MidfielderI. Gundogan
P. Foden
N. Gonzalez
K. De Bruyne
ForwardJ. Doku
Missing players
O. Aina
J. Stones
MidfielderRodri
ForwardE. Haaland
Nottingham Forest & Manchester City Squad Analysis
Manchester City may be without Erling Haaland but they are scoring plenty of goals. Eight different players have scored for City this month. One of the stars of this FA Cup run has been James McAtee who scored a hat-trick against Salford. He was sent off in the last round and will miss this match.
Jeremy Doku is likely to replace him but hasn't scored since January. Nico O'Reilly is fit and he's impressed in this FA Cup run with three goals and two assists. He's also scored in two of City's last three matches.
Defensive problems for Forest.
McAtee isn't the only player suspended for this semi-final. Forest will be without both Neco WIlliams and Ryan Yates on Sunday. The absence of Williams may cause them plenty of problems. That will be so if Ola Aina's calf problem rules him out of this match.
Not having a recognised right-back against City would not be helpful. At least Chris Wood is back fit again. His goal at Spurs last weekend was his first since February.
Nottingham Forest - Manchester City Key Points
- Manchester City are unbeaten in their last seven matches.
- Manchester City have only lost one of their last 16 games in the FA Cup.
- Forest have lost two of their last three games.
- Over 90 minutes, Forest haven't won an FA Cup away game since 2014.
- Three of Forest's four wins in this season's FA Cup have come via a penalty shootout.
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Our Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City Prediction
Manchester City are in top form again and they will be out to end the season with some silverware. They have scored 15 goals on their way to this semi-final but three times they've gone 1-0 down. The fact so many different players are scoring for them puts Forest in real danger here.
Forest have had to win three penalty shootouts to get this far. They have been inconsistent in the Premier League of late. Our main Nottingham Forest v Manchester City prediction is Manchester City to win.
Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City Alternative Predictions
Manchester City to score most of their goals in the second half
Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City - FAQs
All tips are fully researched and given in good faith, but profits cannot be guaranteed.