Manchester City suffered a late heartache on Saturday after Callum Hudson-Odois strike Nottingham Forest won an important 1-0 victory.
The Cityzens missed the opportunity to skip their hosts and take an enormous step towards the Champions League qualification after Ederson was beaten too easily in the 83rd minute by Hudson-Odoi.
Victory moves FOREST five points in front of fifth place when she consolidated her position in the first four, while City knows that you will end the weekend outside of the Champions League places if Chelsea was to avoid a defeat against Leicester City on Sunday.
How the game unfolds
The sun in the early afternoon adorned the Kakophone Stadtplatz and the forest to absorb more than the blazing daylight in the early stages, to sit deep and to consistently collect through its visitors. It was the expected game pattern before the kick -off, and no side seemed to be from the humpback trends.
The invitation from City deep into her own third invitation has almost proven to be expensive at the opening exchanges. The thundering drive of the Spaniard was the first major warning sign of the Forest.
Despite its territorial dominance – 68% property at half -time – the city had conjured up many sensible possibilities in the first half. An expected goals of 0.54, flattered to the visitors, who were unable to unlock the waterproof replica of the forest.
After the restart, there were only a few changes to the river of the encounter, and Pep Guardiola had to contact his star -occupied bank in the inspiration. Kevin de Bruyne and Omar Marmoush both entered the fight when the Cityzens tried to increase intensity with 20 minutes.
City had been behind him just a few minutes before Guardiola’s attacking replacement and was dependent on a breathtaking rescue from Ederson to refuse forest. The view of the Brazilian point of view on Callum Hudson -odoi Efforts was covered by defenders, but his flash reactions enabled him to bring the efforts of the wing player to the post.
But Ederson soon turned into the villain in the last ten minutes when Forest achieved an important victory. Hudson -odoi again aimed at the Brazilian goal, but his palms were too weak on this occasion when he failed to parry the almost post efforts of the wing game.
Mateo Kovacic almost produced a equalization divider when he spread qualified on the long post, but forest held tight to secure another clean sheet and decisive three points.
Take a look at the player reviews of Nottingham Forest 1-0 here.
There was a feeling that Forest could steal all three points with the competition on Saturday, and so it came to pass. The hosts had more and more pleasure in the counterattack when City continued to push the men forward, while their defense rarely gave up half a chance herself, let alone a goal.
A spirited and organized exhibition was deserved to win against the below-average cityzens and is now bringing them to pole position to secure an astonishing return to the table in Europe. They have often shown their ability to mix it with the best England this season, and will not look out of place in the Champions League next season if they are able to continue their current trajectory.
While City is still to be expected in the top 4, the risk that Guardiola will miss the Champions League qualification in his career for the first time in his career. The Cityzens were not convincing in the last third and showed a little when he fell back.
It is not difficult to see how Forest has managed 12 Premier League Clean Sheets this season, with Nuno Espirito Santo the defensive stability before the flair’s attack. However, such a tactical approach is only possible if you boast the right staff.
Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo’s central defender often proved to be immovable during the surprise of the forest in the overall ranking, the latter having a particularly defiant mood on Saturday. The 22-year-old has gained admirers among the Europe’s Giants, and suffocating Erling Haaland and Co. will only promote his reputation.
The Brazilian was impressive against the Cityzens and performed to take danger, but also throw his body on the line when it was necessary. He made ten releases – doubles every other player on the field – and won all of his duels and was not even over. He also enjoyed more touches than any other forest player and was confident in his distribution.
Murillo once again demonstrated his defensive references before a fascinating summer of the gossip, this time against the second highest scoring of the division.
Phil Foden seemed to have rediscovered the form in which he awarded Premier League player of the season around the end of the year 2023/24, and scored six times in January in January alone. However, the goals have been absent since then, since the empty Saturday made its goalless series on ten games in all competitions.
Foden operated as part of a central midfield with Bernardo Silva, who was sitting in front of City’s Gonzalez Gonzalez, trying to find the low forest block in the last third.
Usually deep defense does not prove with Foden’s ingenuity and sharp feet, but the English international obviously has the trust and was more or less a passenger on the city. It was not surprising to see him with 20 minutes to play.
Pep Guardiola needs more of one of his main creative forces.