Nottingham Forest Steals a Point Off Wasteful Manchester City

Steve Cooper's side appeared headed for defeat, yet somehow managed to salvage a point. This extends their unbeaten streak at the City Ground to eight matches and could have significant repercussions for Manchester City in their title race.

City took the lead through Bernardo Silva but failed to extend it, with Chris Wood quickly levelling the score.

Erling Haaland’s goal

Man City's biggest issue this season may well be Haaland. His swift movement, physical height and acrobatic skills have made him a nightmare to defend. Almost half of his goals have come in the centre of the opposition box - between the goal line and penalty spot - making it ideal for a big striker who is also adept on the ball.

His style has an allure, and when firing he can be unstoppable. His shot often soars above defenders as if waiting to seize an opportunity.

After 12 minutes, his first touch in the game against Forest was an impressive one - a left footed shot that went high into the air. It looked as though it might have hit the back of the net; another reminder of his knack for sneaking past defenders who are not used to facing him.

Unfortunately, this is a problem he cannot solve by making it more difficult to get to him or by playing him in another position. His movement is miles ahead of what his contemporaries can offer and when on the ball, opponents cannot stop him.

His first goal against Crystal Palace, after just 19 minutes, was a classic. His cross-shot was an absolute beauty and there's no denying his ability to finish off an exquisite buildup.

He followed that up with another incredible header, taking a pass from Joe Worrall and sending an impressive dipping effort over Henderson.

After the break, Joao Cancelo sent in another excellent cross that Foden headed to the back post for Haaland to rise above Forest defenders and drive it home from close range. Five minutes later, Haaland added another goal with a beautiful header from Bernardo Silva's pass into the top right-hand corner.

City added a fifth goal midway through the second half, as Julian Alvarez netted his first Premier League goal and Joao Cancelo completed it with another stunning strike. It serves as evidence of how this team has matured over time; their fluid passing has been replaced with more disciplined attacking football.

Morgan Gibbs-White’s goal

Nottingham Forest have earned a point against Manchester City and now sit in the top half of the table after coming back from a 2-0 deficit to draw 1-1 at City Ground. It was Forest's second consecutive win against a Premier League side and they will look to keep it going against Liverpool at home on February 5.

City remain on top of the table with a two-point lead over Arsenal, who still have one game to play. Forest are 13th with 25 points, five ahead of the bottom three as Steve Cooper's men look to build on their recent good form.

Nottinghamshire are on a roll after suffering an emphatic loss to Leicester City at the City Ground last time out. Steve Cooper's side have made a difficult start to their new campaign, winning only one of eight matches since taking on Leicester in August. It could be the turning point in their season.

Gianfranco Giraldi has taken stock of Forest's recruitment process and will look to bring in some fresh faces this month. Gibbs-White has been at the heart of Forest's creative play, setting up Emmanuel Dennis for Monday night's goal and creating nine other chances.

He was also involved in the penalty shootout that sent Forest through to the Carabao Cup semi-finals. England manager Gareth Southgate's assistant Steve Holland checked on Gibbs-White at Nigel Doughty Academy near Nottingham following Forest's 1-0 victory against Wolves in the final round of penalties.

On the pitch, Forest's midfield proved a nuisance for Pep Guardiola's side, creating numerous issues on the break and giving Ferns plenty of chances in the middle. Despite this, Forest defended admirably throughout, making some crucial clearances that proved crucial in keeping Ferns ahead.

But the most remarkable statistic was Morgan Gibbs-White's goal that sent Forest through to the Carabao Cup semi-finals despite coming through Wolves' academy. After scoring, Morgan put his fingers to his ears in front of travelling supporters - an indication that his relationship with Wolves had soured in recent years.

Aymeric Laporte’s goal

Manchester City's recent success is testament to Aymeric Laporte, who deserves much more recognition than he's received. After an impressive start to his career, the French defender has established himself as a mainstay in Pep Guardiola's squad and helped them accumulate an unprecedented amount of silverware over the last half-decade.

He began his career with Athletic Bilbao but has since blossomed into one of Manchester City's greatest players. His contributions were instrumental in their winning four Premier League titles and three Carabao Cups, in addition to other domestic and international honors.

In the 2018-19 season, he played an instrumental role in City's unbeaten streak, helping them secure four Premier League wins and three more Carabao Cup triumphs. His defensive prowess, technical proficiency, and guile allowed the team to achieve its historic feat of winning all six competitions available to them in the Premier League.

On Saturday, France international Didier Drogba made an impressive impact as he played alongside Nicolas Otamendi as a key defensive presence and contributed to City's attack. His brilliant goal came from sliding between Forest's backline and feeding Bernardo Silva with the ball who finished with an exquisite effort that evaded Keylor Navas' reach.

After an incredibly wasteful first period, City were in control early and kept the ball for 84% of the match. Nottingham Forest only managed to hold onto it for a fraction of that time and even then failed to create many opportunities.

Soon after the restart, Foden missed an opportunity to double their lead as he attempted to square to Haaland; Forest keeper Felipe intervened at the last second to save it. Laporte then had another great chance from De Bruyne's corner but headed straight at Navas who managed to snag it on his line.

Chris Wood's late goal leveled Nottingham Forest and dashed City's hopes of a top-four finish. It extended Forest's unbeaten home run to eight games, increasing the pressure on Guardiola after Arsenal's 4-2 win against Aston Villa earlier on Saturday.

Phil Foden’s goal

Phil Foden is one of the world's most promising young talents. A key member of England's 2020 Carabao Cup-winning side, he earned himself the PFA Young Player of the Year award for his efforts during that campaign.

With just over a year until the World Cup finals, Foden, 22, will be looking to showcase his full potential on an international stage. Since joining City from Stockport, Pep Guardiola has shaped him into one of City's star left-wingers. It promises that under Guardiola's guidance at Etihad Stadium he can reach new heights.

City's attack has relied heavily on his ability to run through opposition central defenders in recent years, making him a vital asset during transitions.

Foden has the ability to move play directly to the front line with ease, often making clever curved runs which allow him to escape his marker and find himself in an advantageous position to receive passes from more experienced teammates. His agility has earned him many admirers throughout his career.

Guardiola places great value on Foden's ability to be a key factor during transitions. His teams are known for counterpressing, and Guardiola has worked hard to make him an indispensable asset during these moments.

On Wednesday night, his performance was no exception to that rule. He contributed two assists and scored a goal as the Blues cruised to victory.

He was a major force in the opening half, creating numerous chances. On eight minutes he raced through on goal but Forest keeper Michael Worrall made an outstanding block to divert his shot away.

At one point, he was part of an exciting move that ended with Jack Grealish shooting wide of the post. The midfielder looked to be in contention for an England start against Senegal on Sunday.

Foden's goal was the highlight of the game and proved to be the difference for City, earning them a crucial point. He now has scored hat-tricks in each of his last two matches for City and his goal tonight brings him up to 10 goals in 19 appearances this season - an amazing accomplishment and reason for celebration after such an enthralling debut season at Etihad Stadium.