MansionBet Match Preview: Nottingham Forest (H)

City sit 14th (49 points) ahead of 15th-placed Forest (48 points) with the teams set to meet seven months after the Robins' 2-1 win at the City Ground.

It was a confident start from City, both in terms of the game and their overall start to the campaign, as they look to draw on those times and get out of the sticky form of late.

The win in the East Midlands maintained a 100% winning run heading into the first international break. City were quick off the mark and made Forest pay for a sluggish start as goals from Andreas Weimann and Nahki Wells put City 2-0 up before a spirited fightback beginning with Luke Freeman’s well-hit strike.

Dan Bentley kept City in it that day as the visitors pushed in the second half but the win was secured to ensure a fourth consecutive league victory.

That meant Forest endured a five-game losing streak in all competitions before Chris Hughton’s appointment and their first points on the board in a 1-0 away win at Blackburn.

That would be their only win from the first 10 games and another seven games without victory followed in the run up to Christmas. There was better form heading into January with nine wins in 2021, compared with just four before the turn of the year, indicating some soul searching and a reality check as they look for an improved finish under Hughton.

As stated, the gap between the two teams stands at just one point and they meet in differing form. City’s struggles at Ashton Gate have been well documented and a response is needed after back-to-back defeats over Easter, with defeat to Coventry last time out ending their positive away run.

Highlights: Coventry City v Bristol City

As for Forest, they are unbeaten in their last three matches with six points taken over Easter thanks to wins against Cardiff City (1-0) and QPR (3-1).

Meanwhile, Nigel Pearson has confirmed he will be without the injured Sam Bell and Liam Walsh who are "unlikely" to feature again this season. Nathan Baker could return before May but it remains to be seen if he will be involved this weekend.

MATCH DETAILS 

Where: Ashton Gate Stadium
When: Saturday, April 10th, 3pm KO
Competition: Sky Bet Championship

Referee: Stephen Martin
Assistants: Bhupinder Gill and Matthew McGrath
Fourth official: Sunny (Sukhvir) Gill