Manchester City v Nottingham Forest Premier League 2025/26 Fixture Date – Wednesday 4 March 2026 Kick-off – 8pm Etihad Stadium, Manchester

⚔️ Overall Head-to-Head Summary

• Total competitive meetings: 106 (or 105/106 depending on source)

• Manchester City wins: ~44–45

• Nottingham Forest wins: ~33–34

• Draws: ~23–28

• City have outscored Forest overall: roughly 120 to 105 goals

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🏆 Historical Highlights & Rivalry Timeline

• First meeting: December 27, 1899 – Nottingham Forest won 2‑0 against City in Division One

• City’s early dominance: Forest didn’t beat City again in the league until decades later, with a rare win in 1960 and again in 1970s/1980s rounds

• Notable Forest win: In 1980, Forest thrashed City 4‑0—a rare and memorable triumph

• Premier League era: Since 1992, meetings have been sporadic—Forest victories came in 1995, 2025, plus some draws; while City recorded several strong wins including 6‑0 at home in August 2022

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📅 Recent Encounters (Last Six Matches)

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📊 Trends & Patterns

• Since Forest’s Premier League return (post-2022), City have won 4 of 5 meetings, with one draw and one Forest victory

• Forest have struggled to score against City recently, especially in away games. Their FA Cup win in March 2025 was their first over City since 1995

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🏟️ Noteworthy Matches

• April 27, 2025 (FA Cup Semi-final): City beat Forest 2–0 at Wembley with early goals from Rico Lewis and Josko Gvardiol, controlling possession and limiting Forest to zero shots in the first half

• March 8, 2025 (Premier League): Forest pulled off a surprise 1–0 win at the City Ground, with Callum Hudson‑Odoi scoring in the 82nd minute despite just 31% possession

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🔍 Summary & Rivalry Outlook

• Edge: City hold the overall historical advantage.

• Forest’s highlights: Rare but impactful wins, such as in March 2025.

• Key fixture: FA Cup 2025 semi-final—City’s win versus Forest underscores their dominance under Guardiola.

• Expect future clashes to continue with City in the lead—though Forest remain capable of pulling off shock results.

🗓 Fixture Details

• Match: Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest

• Date: Wednesday, 4 March 2026

• Kick-off: 20:00 UK time (8 pm) — 12:00 PM PST as shown by the schedule

• Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester

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📅 Context & Significance

• Matchweek 29 in the 2025–26 Premier League season. This midweek fixture forms part of the busy second half of the campaign for both clubs

• Despite initial schedules indicating this game might fall on 5 March 2026, official listings from both Premier League and Man City’s club site confirm the correct date as 4 March and kick-off at 20:00 UK time

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🔍 Why This Match Could Matter

• Timing: Played after the Africa Cup of Nations break, this fixture comes at a pivotal time when momentum shifts can define title races and European qualification battles. Liverpool, Arsenal, and City are all jockeying for top positions, while Forest aim to consolidate mid-table or fight relegation

• City’s Form: Coming off a dynamic transfer window—with Pep Guardiola surpassing €2 billion in spending and notable signings like Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders—City enter this match with reinvested firepower

• Forest’s challenge: Nottingham Forest, under Nuno Espírito Santo, will face one of the toughest matches in their season; City’s home strength normally gives them a clear edge.

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✅ Summary Table

👔 Manager Profiles

Pep Guardiola – Manchester City

• Appointed 1 July 2016, Guardiola remains City’s longest‑serving manager, set to stay through at least June 2027

• Has overseen an unprecedented era of success at City: six Premier League titles, multiple domestic cups, and the UEFA Champions League, including a continental treble in 2023

• Recorded 11 Premier League Manager of the Month awards, placing him among the elite managers in league history

Nuno Espírito Santo – Nottingham Forest

• Took over as Forest manager on 20 December 2023 and signed a contract extension through 2028

• Guided Forest to a 7th-place finish in 2024–25, securing their first European qualification in 30 years and earning three separate Manager of the Month awards within that season

• Nuno has won a total of 7 Manager of the Month honors across his Premier League career, reflecting his tactical impact at multiple clubs

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⚔️ Head‑to‑Head: Guardiola vs Nuno

• Direct head-to-head managerial stats are limited. However, Transfermarkt records show Pep Guardiola facing Nuno Espírito Santo as opponents multiple times across different clubs ─ though specific numbers are not publicly available

• Guardiola’s record against Nuno is not itemized, but overall, the data illustrates Guardiola’s dominance against peers like Unai Emery, Sean Dyche and others across 125+ matches

• Nuno, meanwhile, has faced tough tests and has crafted surprise wins—including defeating Guardiola’s City with Forest in March 2025 (Premier League), showcasing his capability in single-game upsets

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📋 Summary Table

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🔍 Context for March 2026 Match

• Guardiola expects to maintain City’s dominance domestically with tactical control and squad strength.

• Nuno is likely to set his team up to frustrate City, as he did in March 2025 with an organised, counter-based attack.

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✅ Conclusion

While Pep Guardiola has the edge in experience, tactical success, and record-breaking achievements, Nuno Espírito Santo has proven he can engineer memorable results—especially when his Forest side are motivated and well-drilled. The manager head-to-head at this Etihad fixture will pit Guardiola’s finely tuned continuity against Nuno’s rising, disruptive style.

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