Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City. Premier League.
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Report and free match highlights as Bernardo Silva scored a superb first-half opener; substitute Chris Wood netted a late equaliser; Man City lost ground on Arsenal in the Premier League title race - with the Gunners beating Aston Villa earlier in the day
Sunday 19 February 2023 07:33, UK
Manchester City lost ground on fellow Premier League title challengers Arsenal after being held to a 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest as Chris Wood's late leveller cancelled out Bernardo Silva's sublime opener.
A moment of solo brilliance from Silva in the 41st minute looked to be sending City back to the summit, but for an impressive second-half resurgence from Steve Cooper's side, who converted their only shot on target with six minutes remaining.
Earlier in the day, Arsenal were forced to come from behind twice to beat Aston Villa, usurping City in the race for the title, and the Gunners now hold a two-point advantage at the top with a game in hand.
Erling Haaland, attempting to respond to recent claims he is not the correct fit for City's style of play, struck the crossbar before blasting the resulting rebound aimlessly over in the second half, as the wasteful visitors couldn't turn their dominance into anything more than a solitary point.
How big these two dropped points will be in the race for the Premier League crown remains to be seen, with Pep Guardiola admitting he was "sad and disappointed" not to have capitalised on significant momentum in the game.
Forest are now unbeaten in eight home league encounters, winning half of those - their best home unbeaten run in the top-flight since 1996. "We sacrificed ideals," manager Steve Cooper said after the game. "We gave up what we usually want to do in games of football but it's a positive result," he summarised.
Another twist in the tale of an intriguing Premier League title charge. City looked primed to exchange places at the top with Arsenal after Silva's first-half stunner, but stubborn Forest had other ideas - led expertly by captain Joe Worrall, who was a rock at the back.
The hosts rode their luck throughout, suffering through 23 efforts on Keylor Navas' goal, but City could only make one stick.
City's string of missed opportunities, including two from Haaland, proved particularly costly when Wood appeared at the back post to tap home Morgan Gibbs-White's low cross in the 84th minute.
The draw takes the shine off City's midweek win, after getting the better of Mikel Arteta's Arsenal at the Emirates to gain a foothold at the top, only to be pegged back by the league's 13th-placed side three days later.
Indeed, the visitors fluffed multiple chances to make it 2-0 before Wood's timely intervention, with Phil Foden, Aymeric Laporte and Rodri all guilty of spurning presentable openings.
Laporte was completely unmarked from Kevin De Bruyne's corner in the 63rd minute but headed straight at Navas, while Foden's spilled shot was blazed carelessly over the bar by Haaland moments later.
Defiant Forest also needed Navas to tip Ilkay Gundogan's fizzing free-kick over the upright, paving the way for Wood to pounce late on, but not before Guardiola's overenthusiastic display of frustration on the sidelines was punished with a yellow card. "We have to look at ourselves - we can do better. Today we miss too many clear chances. It sometimes happens," the City boss conceded post-match.
"I was complaining to the fourth official and got a well deserved yellow card," he added.
Man City manager Pep Guardiola:
"It was a brilliant performance but we didn't score. From the goal we could defend better with more energy. First half it should be two or three zero. We drop points, it's sad and disappointing. But the way we play was really good. Today was not our day.
"It was 15 games [until the end of the season] now it's 14. We create chances and are good on transitions but we miss chances. We didn't score that's all. We don't make many excuses. I'm not a guy who is here to talk about something we cannot control.
"I was complaining to the fourth official and got a well deserved yellow card.
"When they give everything they give everything. There was endeavour to win. We played a good game, we just missed the second goal. We have to look at ourselves - we can do better. Today we miss too many clear chances. It sometimes happens.
"(Erling) Haaland is positive, he keeps going. Today we were much better than the opponent but we didn't score the goals so we have to blame ourselves."
Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper:
"We knew the game was going to look like it did. We planned for that. You are playing against an incredible team - the best in the world at domestic level. You have to sacrifice the ideals in the game to try and get something out of it.
"We put a plan in place to try and get something out of it. They had loads of the ball and the territory. You need a bit of luck when you play them, we deserved that.
"I'm disappointed with VAR - it's a clear foul on Joe Worrall for the goal. VAR have let the referee down there. Of all weekends they needed a good one. This is another talking point. We're disappointed with that.
"The players listened and stuck to the plan. We gave up what we usually want to do in games of football. It was a great goal. So it's a positive result. I thought we got away with it, if I'm honest. If we'd have gone open like we normally do - City are dangerous. We run the risk no doubt. We got our moment and it's a great goal."
Sky Sports' Laura Hunter:
The pendulum swings back Arsenal's way. The Gunners came from behind twice before scoring two goals in injury time to beat Aston Villa, a feat City were powerless to match after getting pegged back by plucky Forest two hours later. This will feel like a loss.
The prolific Haaland went missing. Guardiola, booked for confronting the fourth official over an incident involving the Norwegian striker, was unusually composed in his post-match address.
He bemoaned missed chances and was critical of poor defending for the goal conceded, but also gave a glowing review of a "brilliant" performance. His body language on the sidelines during the game said differently. Guardiola spent almost the entirety of the first half with his hands on his hips on the edge of his technical area - he was anxiously watching wave after wave of City attacks end in disappointment.
A week that began with so much promise - outshining Arsenal on their own patch - has ended in regret. This was the moment to seize control of the title race and City stuttered. How they might come to rue those opportunities missed.
Nottingham Forest's next game is at West Ham on Saturday; kick-off 3pm. Steve Cooper's side then host Everton on Sunday March 5, live on Sky Sports; kick-off 2pm.
Manchester City's attention now turns to the Champions League, with a trip to RB Leipzig for the first leg of their last-16 encounter on Wednesday; kick-off 8pm.
Pep Guardiola's side then return to Premier League action on Saturday when they travel to Bournemouth on Saturday, live on Sky Sports; kick-off 5.30pm.
