An in-depth have a look at our opponents this weekend…
We journey to Nottingham Forest’s Metropolis Floor for a 12:30 (UK) kick-off on Saturday 27 December.
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Metropolis go into the sport having gained our final seven in a row throughout all competitions and are actually simply two factors behind Premier League leaders Arsenal after 17 video games.
Right here we check out what to anticipate from Sean Dyche’s aspect…
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Forest are seventeenth within the league, with 18 factors from their 17 outings thus far.
As that place would counsel, Forest haven’t been constant however they’ve picked up some key wins towards sides round them in addition to a number of the league’s greatest names.
Their 5 victories thus far have come towards Brentford, Leeds, Liverpool, Wolves and Spurs.
Most popular formation
Forest are likely to favour a 4-2-3-1 formation, as they did throughout final season’s run to European qualification.
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Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic stay the primary decisions at centre-back, with the previous a extra progressive passer and the latter usually the final man.
Elliot Anderson is a key man within the centre of midfield, working in a box-to-box function behind Morgan Gibbs-White – who’s tasked with a lot of the creativity.
Igor Jesus has largely been the primary selection up prime, whereas the likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi, Omar Hutchinson and Dan Ndoye function on the wings.
Supervisor
Dyche is a Premier League veteran now, having managed 342 video games within the top-flight with Burnley, Everton and now his boyhood membership Forest.
The 54-year-old solely arrived on the Metropolis Floor in October after a rocky begin to the season with each Nuno Espirito Santo and Ange Postecoglou transferring on.
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In whole within the Premier League, he’s gained 97 of his 342 video games whereas he’s overseen a comparatively sturdy begin to life at Forest with 4 wins in his first 9 league matches.
Nevertheless, he’s by no means overwhelmed Pep Guardiola in 16 Premier League conferences.
Head-to-head report
The 2 sides have performed one another 12 occasions within the Premier League period, with Metropolis successful 5 occasions and Forest victorious on three events.
In these matches, we’ve scored 22 occasions whereas Forest have netted 12 targets.
The Metropolis Floor itself shouldn’t be a favoured floor of ours, with Metropolis successful simply two of the six journeys.
How they rating their targets
Solely Wolves have scored fewer than Forest’s 17 targets thus far.
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Nevertheless, their xG creation of 20.7 is the twelfth finest within the division so they’re considerably underperforming in entrance of purpose.
Having discovered the web thrice within the opening quarter-hour, they’re one of many faster starters within the league – with solely 5 groups scoring extra in that interval.
With 10 totally different goalscorers, they’ve shared out the targets greater than most within the division.
Their most evident tactic is to ship crosses into the field as a lot as potential, with 309 in open play. That’s essentially the most within the Premier League and nearly double Metropolis’s 159.
Hudson-Odoi and Gibbs-White are their prime scorers with three every, with Ibrahim Sangare and Omari Hutchinson are the one gamers to have assisted greater than as soon as.
Forest’s 26 targets conceded is the thirteenth lowest whole within the Premier League. 19 of these have come from contained in the field, however that’s the ninth finest within the division.
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14 of the targets have come from set items, the second worst within the Premier League suggesting they’re susceptible from corners and free kicks.
Solely letting in two within the opening quarter-hour furthers the idea they begin comparatively properly, however 10 conceded within the final quarter-hour means they might run of steam as the top of the sport nears.
Goalkeeper Matz Sels performed all the first 15 video games earlier than dropping his place to Brazilian John Victor within the final two video games.
Metropolis v Brighton tickets on normal sale
We welcome an entertaining Brighton aspect to the Etihad at 19:30 (UK) on Wednesday 7 January.
And with tickets now on normal sale, you could possibly be there to see it!
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Followers can now declare three tickets every, with adults from £30 and concessions as little as £15.
Or make it an evening to recollect with ranging from simply £180 per particular person and a variety of experiences out there to fit your funds.