Nottingham Forest secured a thrilling 1-0 victory over Manchester City at the City Ground. This was thanks to a late strike by Callum Hudson-Odoi.
This win earned Forest all three points. It also reinforced their position firmly in the race for a UEFA Champions League spot. Forest has achieved remarkable success this season with the league’s lowest average possession. They now sit one point ahead of City. This showcases their outstanding performance.
As expected, Pep Guardiola’s side dominated possession, but they struggled to threaten the home side’s defence.
Erling Haaland took an early shot that narrowly missed the target. It deflected slightly before Nico González unleashed a powerful strike from a distance. His shot rattled the outside of the near post.
These chances were the closest anyone came to breaking the deadlock in the first half. The hosts showed promising moments. However, they ultimately fizzled out.
Forest maintained their impressive record. They are the only Premier League home side yet to trail at halftime this season. They displayed remarkable discipline after the break.
The game continued in a similar pattern until a surge of momentum shifted in favour of the hosts. In the 67th minute, Hudson-Odoi created a fantastic opportunity. Ederson’s quick reflexes thwarted him. The inside of the post also stopped the effort.
In search of a spark, Guardiola turned to his bench, but neither Kevin De Bruyne nor Omar Marmoush managed to challenge Matz Sels as the clock wound down.
As the match seemed destined for a draw, a brilliant raking pass from Morgan Gibbs-White sliced through City’s defence, allowing Hudson-Odoi the space to drive confidently toward the goal. He skillfully shifted outside and struck the ball past Ederson at his near post, clinching a well-deserved victory for Forest.
City struggled to find their footing and, despite a powerful volley from Mateo Kovačić that just missed the target, they were ultimately unable to penetrate a well-organized Forest defence.
This victory marks the first time Forest has triumphed over City in the league since December 1997, ending a streak of two draws and seven losses. Under the guidance of Nuno Espírito Santo, they remain firmly in third place, having consistently maintained a position in the top four throughout 2025.
Additionally, if Chelsea secures a win against Leicester City on Sunday, City will fall out of the guaranteed UCL qualification spots.