Nottingham Forest 1-1 Manchester City (Premier League) 18.02.23
Leading up to the weekends match against the league champions two things stood out in the news. One, Manchester City had just gone back to the top of the table after beating long term leaders Arsenal having a stumble of late, another, was Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood, activating a permanent move to the club after playing three matches on loan from Newcastle United, he was very much splitting opinion on Reds fans, many disappointed in what he’d so far achieved in his short time at the City Ground.
But, by Saturday night, Manchester City were no longer top of the league, and Chris Wood was very much man of the moment, his late goal rescuing a point, to send the City Ground bonkers.
Everything pointed to a City win, the early season thumping that Forest got at the Etihad was concern from the moment that Pep Guardiola picked his side, strong, ahead of a Champions League encounter midweek, the Citizens were expected to rest players like Haaland and De Bruyne, both played, testament to the clubs Head Coach who knew the cauldron like City Ground is no easy place to win a game of football.
But City to their credit, world class on their day, looked like they had the tools, capabilities, quality and goal threat, to beat a Forest side that defended for their lives, but let their opponents in, a little too often, during a dominant first half from the away side.
Last ditch defending by Joe Worrall blocking a goalward shot, misfiring efforts from Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri, before eventually, Bernardo Silva blasted a cracker ahead of half time, City going a goal ahead, very much the way of script.
The second half was much the same, Phil Foden running through chose to pass when he perhaps should have shot, Keylor Navas twice saving well, tipping over from De Bruyne before saving point blank from Aymeric Laporte, Erling Haaland missing a guilt edged double opportunity firing onto the crossbar before blazing over the rebound from six yards, City having chances to win twice over, but with five minutes left, the score was still only 0-1.
Enter Forest’s best move of the game, a nineteen pass move that ended with Brennan Johnson running into the box, playing to Morgan Gibbs-White who crossed low to Chris Wood, at the back post, unmarked, Trent End goal, to smash into the gaping net.
The City Ground erupted, an unlikely point, the Reds holding on very much knocking the stuffing out of the Sky Blue Manchester outfit’s title challenge, Forest’s own survival race, well on track with 25 points from 23 played.
After the game, Head Coach Steve Cooper stated “We had to sacrifice a few home truths, when you’re playing City, one of the best team’s in world football, you have to stay in the game, that’s what we said at half time, just stay in the game, and we rode our luck, but by staying in the game, we knew we would get one opportunity”.
Forest unbeaten since September at the City Ground, next face a trip to West Ham United who themselves are battling in the bottom three. Keeping the Hammers at arm’s length is very much priority for the Reds as they look to further themselves from the fields beneath.
Nottingham Forest: Navas, Aurier (Wood 79), Worrall, Felipe, Lodi (Toffolo 79), Freuler, Shelvey (Mangala 72), Danilo (Ayew 58), Colback (Williams 58), Gibbs-White, Johnson.
Manchester City: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Laporte, Rodri, Silva, Foden (Ake 89), De Bruyne (Alvarez 88), Gundogan, Grealish, Haaland.
Venue: City Ground (29,365)
*Main image @NFFC Chris Wood celebrates with Brennan Johnson a late Reds leveller.