Manchester City 2 Nottingham Forest 2: City player ratings from an eventful night at the Etihad | OneFootball

Manchester City 2 (Antoine Semenyo 31′, Rodri 62′)

Nottingham Forest 2 (Morgan Gibbs-White 56′, Elliot Anderson 76′)

Here are the City player ratings and match report as Manchester City drew 2-2 with Nottingham Forest at the Etihad Stadium tonight. Goals from Antoine Semenyo and Rodri were canceled out by goals from Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson for Forest as City fell seven points behind Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table. City do have a game in hand, but tonight’s result does leave the Premier League title in Arsenal’s hands if they win their remaining matches. Although tonight’s result could be the first twist of this season’s title race.

When the starting lineups were announced Erling Haaland returned to the City starting eleven for tonight’s match. Haaland missed Manchester City’s win over Leeds due to injury. The bad news was that Nico O’Reilly wasn’t in the Manchester City matchday squad for tonight’s match. O’Reilly suffered an ankle injury against Leeds. He was replaced by Phil Foden in the City starting eleven for tonight’s match.

First half.

Nottingham Forest started the game brightly and had three good chances in the opening two minutes. The first came from a long throw on the left from Ola Aina. City’s defence cleared the throw-in to the edge of their own area. Elliot Anderson unleashed a powerful strike that the City defence blocked. Another follow-up strike was blocked by the City defence. Thirty seconds later, Nicolas Dominguez played in a cross from the right that picked out Morgan Gibbs-White. Gibbs-White’s header lacked the power to truly test Gianluigi Donnarumma, who picked up the ball with ease. But Nottingham Forest’s intentions were clear to see to kick off the match.

The first chance of the match for Manchester City arrived in the seventh minute. Rayan Cherki picked out a Phil Foden run with a superb ball over the top of the Forest defense. Foden teed up Antoine Semenyo, who unleashed a powerful left-footed strike on goal that thundered into the side netting. If Semenyo’s shot had been on target, it is doubtful that Forest keeper Matz Sels would have gotten to it.

The next Manchester City chance arrived in the 19th minute. Erling Haaland seized upon a poor pass from Forest keeper Matz Sels in his own area. Haaland picked out Rayan Cherki, who teed up Bernardo Silva on the edge of the Forest area. The City captain fired a shot, which was deflected, and Matz Sels saved with ease down to his left.

Forest have a good chance after City give away possession in midfield.

After a Phil Foden shot was dealt with by Matz Sels in the 22nd minute, Nottingham Forest had a chance in the 25th minute. Phil Foden played Rodri into trouble in midfield, which sent Forest away on the counter. Nicolas Dominguez drove at the City defence and picked out Morgan Gibbs-White to his left. Gibbs-White fired a first-time shot on goal with his right foot, which was easily collected by Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Antoine Semenyo gives Manchester City the lead!!!!

Manchester City would take the lead in the 31st minute. Marc Guehi picked out Rayan Cherki in acres of space just outside the Forest penalty area. Cherki drove at the Nottingham Forest defence and produced a step over before playing a cross into a dangerous position. Antoine Semenyo was on hand to acrobatically volley home past Matz Sels with his left foot to give City the lead. The goal had been coming, and with Arsenal leading at Brighton, it did settle the nerves amongst the City fans.

Forest respond after going a goal down.

Igor Jesus forced Gianluigi Donnarumma into action two minutes after Semenyo’s goal. Ibrahim Sangaré played a good ball in behind the City defence to set Igor Jesus away. The Brazilian striker unleashed a powerful shot on goal from the left-hand side of the City area that Donnarumma saved low down to his right.

Erling Haaland would put a chance just wide in the 43rd minute. Bernardo Silva did extremely well in midfield to win the ball to set City on their way. Phil Foden ran at the Forest defence and he played in a through ball for Erling Haaland to chase. Haaland got to the ball before Forest keeper Matz Sels but he was too wide of the goal. Haaland did get a shot in on goal but his shot harmlessly went into the side netting.

Antoine Semenyo would play a teasing cross from the left across the Forest six-yard box that somehow evaded Ruben Dias and Erling Haaland on the stretch in the 46th minute. That would be the final moment of the first half, and Pep Guardiola’s side would take a 1-nil lead into the interval. City had played well in the first half, but Forest did have their moments as well. The match was delicately poised at halftime, but importantly, City held the lead at halftime.

Second half.

Bernardo Silva saw a shot saved by Matz Sels in the 49th minute. City had begun the second half with more intent in their play. Bernardo got himself into a good position to shoot after he moved from the right wing to inside the Forest area with some dazzling footwork. Bernardo fired a shot on goal that Sels tipped behind for a corner.

Rayan Cherki would fire a shot over the bar from a good position in the 51st minute. Cherki’s clever feet got himself into a good position to shoot from just inside the Forest area but the French internationals shot went flying over the bar.

Nottingham Forest equalize after absorbing a spell of City possession.

Despite Manchester City starting the second half well, Morgan Gibbs-White would equalize for Forest in the 56th minute. Forest won the ball in midfield and found Ola Aina on the right. Aina drove at Rayan Ait-Nouri and played a quality cross into the back post. Igor Jesus nodded the ball down to Morgan Gibbs-White who beat Gianluigi Donnarumma with a sublime back heel finish to make it 1-all. The goal came against the run of play but Nottingham Forest had always been a threat on the break and they got their reward.

City retake the lead….GET IN!!!!!

Manchester City would retake the lead in the 62nd minute. Erling Haaland’s strike was deflected behind for a corner. Rayan Ait-Nouri floated in a corner from the right, and Rodri headed the ball down and on target. The ball took a tiny deflection on its way in. Rodri’s celebration spoke volumes as the goal restored Manchester City’s lead.

Erling Haaland looked to have earned City a penalty in the 70th minute. Rayan Cherki played a quality through ball that Haaland got to before the oncoming Matz Sels. Haaland went down, but the referee decided it was a coming together between the two players and no penalty was awarded. VAR confirmed the on-field decision, and play continued.

Elliot Anderson smashes in an equalizer for Forest.

Nottingham Forest found a second equalizer in the 76th minute. Ola Aina won the ball back in midfield and played it to Elliot Anderson. Anderson played a one-two with Callum Hudson-Odoi on the edge of the City area and had space to shoot from outside the box. Elliot Anderson produced a thunderous low drive that gave Gianluigi Donnarumma no chance as the ball smashed into the bottom corner. Pep Guardiola’s side had it all to do to find a winner in a crucial match.

As the game entered stoppage time, Manchester City needed to find a late winner. Arsenal still led against Brighton, and their lead at the top of the Premier League would stretch to seven points if results stayed as they were.

Both sides have their chances to find a winner in second half stoppage time.

Ryan Yates would head a good chance wide for Forest from a corner in the 91st minute. Two minutes later, Savinho created a chance for City and the ball fell to Rodri, who volleyed well wide of the target from just outside the Forest six-yard box. Elliot Anderson clattered into Rodri as he shot, but Manchester City’s penalty shout fell on deaf ears.

In the 96th minute Antoine Semenyo would curl a free kick on target that Matz Sels saved with his finger tips. It was strong free kick from Semenyo that Sels saved. But Forest were awarded a goal kick so Sels saved officially didn’t happen.

In the game’s final moment, Savinho saw a shot cleared off the line by Murillo. A goalmouth scramble ensued, and the ball fell to Savinho, who got a goal-bound shot on target. But Murillo had positioned himself superbly with Matz Sels stranded to clear the ball away.

That would be the final action of the match and the game would finish 2-all. Manchester City will be kicking themselves after throwing away two points after leading the game twice. Nottingham Forest deserve credit for never throwing in the towel and both of their goals were superb. But with Arsenal beating Brighton, and City dropping two points Mikel Arteta’s side now has a seven point lead at the top of the Premier League after an eventful night at the Etihad.

City player ratings.

Gianluigi Donnarumma-6/10: Could do very little about both of Forest’s goals and made the saves he had to.

Matheus Nunes-6/10: A wasteful night in possession from Nunes. He got into good positions but his end product was lacking. Defensively he was solid without being spectacular. 

Ruben Dias-7.5/10: Defended extremely well and made a host of crucial challenges. 

Marc Guehi-7/10: Like Dias he did his job extremely well at the back when required without being spectacular. 

Rayan Ait-Nouri-7.5/10: I thought Ait-Nouri was very good going forward and he grabbed an assist for Rodri’s goal. He perhaps could have done more to keep out Ola Aina’s cross for Morgan Gibbs-White’s goal but overall I thought Ait-Nouri played well.

Rodri-7.5/10: He did all he could to lift his team but he had his hands full in the midfield battle up against Elliot Anderson. I thought Rodri was one of City’s better players on the night.

Bernardo Silva-7.5/10: Played really well in the final third and was a constant threat to the Forest defence.

Antoine Semenyo-7.5/10: Semenyo was absolutely brilliant in the first half but he faded out of the game in the second half. His goal was superb but he couldn’t affect the game as much in the second half.

Rayan Cherki-8/10: Outside of Antoine Semenyo in the first half, Cherki was by far and away Manchester City’s most dangerous attacking player. His assist for Semenyo’s goal was sublime and he was a constant threat to the Forest defence.

Phil Foden-5/10: Foden started the match well but he drifted out of the game as it wore on. He lost Elliot Anderson for Forest’s second goal of the game before being taken off. After Foden sold Rodri into trouble with a poor pass in midfield his performance dropped off from that point. It seems like Foden has lost confidence at this point.

Erling Haaland-6/10: Haaland toiled away up front without having a massive influence on the match.

Substitutes.

Jeremy Doku-6/10: Tried to help his team find a winner but it wasn’t to be.

Abdukodir Khusanov-6/10: Perhaps Khusanov could have come on earlier to curtail Forest’s threat on the counter.

Savinho-6/10: I liked Savinho’s came off the bench. He tried all he could to find a winner and saw a last second shot cleared off the line.