Nottingham Forest Endure Historic Home Goal Drought as Glasner Faces Manchester City Test

Nottingham Forest have become one of the few teams in English top-flight history to fail to score in their first four home league matches of a season. This ongoing goal drought at the City Ground has persisted into the 2026-27 campaign, posing a significant challenge for manager Oliver Glasner as his side prepares to host Manchester City on Saturday.

Forest’s inability to find the net at home is not a new problem but rather a continuation of a deep-rooted issue. Alongside Schalke, they are the only two teams yet to score on home soil in the current season across the top European leagues. Historically, only five teams have endured such a barren run in their opening home matches, with three of those teams also failing to score in their fifth game, highlighting the severity of Forest’s current plight.

Despite creating chances, Forest’s expected goals (xG) data suggests they should have scored by now. However, a flaw in their attacking execution has prevented them from converting opportunities. The problem extends beyond league matches; Forest also failed to score in a recent Carabao Cup home tie against Leeds United. In total, the club has taken 70 shots in all competitions at the City Ground this season without rewarding their fans with a single goal.

This season’s drought is particularly stark when compared to last year’s home form. Although Forest managed to score more goals than Burnley, the Premier League’s lowest home scorers in the previous campaign, they still failed to score in nine home matches, underscoring a persistent offensive weakness that has carried over into Glasner’s tenure.

With Manchester City visiting the City Ground after suffering consecutive league defeats, Forest have a critical opportunity to break their goalless streak and boost their home confidence. A positive result would not only end the historic drought but also provide much-needed momentum for Glasner’s side in a tightly contested Premier League season.

Looking ahead, the pressure will mount on Nottingham Forest to address their goal-scoring issues as they seek to climb the league table. The upcoming fixtures will be crucial in determining whether Glasner can reverse this trend and restore attacking productivity at home.

For more detailed coverage, visit The Guardian.