“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” came the barbs from the Nottingham Forest supporters before and after their side snatched an unlikely draw that could have ramifications for Manchester City’s hopes of recording a third successive Premier League title. There are, of course, still three months to run in the title race and Arsenal, who are two points clear with a game in hand over City, still have to visit the Etihad Stadium in April. But Pep Guardiola stared at the floor as he headed down the tunnel alone with his thoughts, doubtless replaying uncharacteristic misses by Erling Haaland and Phil Foden in his mind after watching his players pass up the opportunity to return top of the pile.
City dominated the game, completing almost three times as many passes as Forest. They registered 23 shots, six on goal, one of which Bernardo Silva rifled in first time from the edge of the box to give the visitors the lead four minutes before the interval. At that point it felt almost inevitable that City would go on to secure victory but then Foden fluffed his lines early in the second half, his loose touch putting paid to his hopes of doubling their lead, before Haaland rattled the bar and skied the rebound after Keylor Navas parried a vicious effort by Foden. The Forest substitute Chris Wood tapped in to score his first Forest goal and equalise with his side’s only shot on target.
