The times when Nottingham Forest influenced title races may not be confined to the reign of Brian Clough. Morgan Gibbs-White was the agent provocateur who advantaged Arsenal: perhaps Tottenham and Liverpool, in the broader picture, too. And definitely Newcastle in the Carabao Cup and Wolves in the Premier League. When Rodri grabbed the Forest midfielder around the neck and was sent off, Manchester City went from the 100 percenters to the side on their longest losing run since 2018.
And if that is only two league games, a season has been reshaped by a suspension. One quadruple has already eluded City, falling at the first hurdle in the Carabao Cup. Another had an air of inevitability; now City, third in the table, have been downgraded and are merely favourites in the Premier League. “No team has ever won four in a row,” reasoned Pep Guardiola; defeat to Arsenal shows it will be no procession for City to make history. “It is not the first time we are behind,” their manager added. They can play catch-up.
