Manchester City Held 2–2 By Nottingham Forest As Title Race Tightens
Sports Updated: 05 March 2026 01:14 EAT
Manchester City were held to a 2–2 draw by Nottingham Forest at the Etihad Stadium, dropping crucial points in the Premier League title race. The result comes on the same night Arsenal secured a narrow win over Brighton, stretching their lead at the top to seven points.
Forest took the lead in the 31st minute when Antoine Semenyo finished a well‑worked move, catching City off guard. The visitors doubled their impact when Morgan Gibbs‑White equalised shortly after, keeping the home side on edge.
City regained the lead in the 62nd minute through a Rodri header from a corner, giving Pep Guardiola’s side hope of all three points. However, Nottingham Forest fought back, with Elliot Anderson curling a superb strike in the 76th minute to level the score again.
Despite dominating possession and creating multiple chances, City were unable to break down Forest’s disciplined defence. Stars like Erling Haaland and Phil Foden struggled to convert their opportunities, highlighting City’s difficulties in finishing key moments.
The draw leaves Manchester City seven points behind league leaders Arsenal, who now hold a commanding position with a game in hand. Every remaining match will be critical if City are to keep their title hopes alive.
For Nottingham Forest, the point is a valuable boost in their battle against relegation, keeping them just outside the bottom three and providing a morale lift for the squad.
City’s defensive lapses and missed chances raised questions about their ability to close out tight games, while Forest demonstrated resilience and effectiveness on the counter-attack.
The Premier League title race has tightened, with Arsenal now holding a stronger advantage. Manchester City must respond in their upcoming fixtures to remain contenders for the championship.
Fans and pundits praised Forest’s fighting spirit, while City will look to regroup quickly ahead of the final stretch of the season, knowing that dropped points at this stage could prove costly.
Bernardo Silva on Man City's penalty claims vs Nottingham Forest: "We're quite used to it this season because all 50/50s have gone against us. It's the reality. I've just watched, for example, the Erling [Haaland] incident [with Matz Sels], and for me it's a penalty. Some might have a different opinion. What can Erling do?
"As I said, we're used to it. We know how it works. For us, our job is just to be better because these things we cannot control. What we can control is our own performances and that's what we need to focus on..."
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FELIX MAKONA
FACT FINDER AND DATA DRIVEN JOURNALIST. DATA MINING AT IT'S BEST. GET FACTS RANGING FROM MATTERS DISABILITY AND INCLUSION, POLITICS, ECONOMY, SPORTS AND GENERAL NEWS AROUND THE WORLD