Nottingham Forest are everything Man City used to be - they are going in opposite directions
NOTTINGHAM FOREST 1-0 MANCHESTER CITY: Callum Hudson-Odoi's late winner sent the City Ground into raptures as Nuno Espirito Santo's side piled more misery on the champions
by Neil Moxley · The MirrorOn the banks of the Trent, Nottingham Forest are starting to believe.
Next to the river which the late, great Brian Clough once claimed he could walk upon, another footballing miracle is being enacted. Nuno Espirito Santo and his band of brothers took one giant step towards an era-defining campaign thanks to Callum Hudson-Odoi’s late winner.
And, amid scenes of unconfined jubilance - that haven't been seen at the City Ground for generations - a giant party kicked off. They didn’t so much dismantle Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side - but rather showed them everything that they used to be.
Hunger, desire and work-rate used to flow through the Catalan’s side. But the only tide was a red one as Nuno’s Forest produced a trademark show to cement third place in the Premier League.
It leaves them with a significant advantage over the chasing pack - and, should English clubs have five entrants into next season’s Champions League - a belief is growing that the former two-time winners of the competition could be among them.
Not that Forest’s current boss - his usual position is one of understatement - will be among them. But he has fostered a togetherness that was on show from the first whistle.
And when his opposite number Guardiola reviews his own side’s display, he will wonder where the vital ingredients that have carried him and his club to so much success have disappeared to. Manchester City are like a broken gold watch, displaying a top-end hallmark.
Everyone can see the quality, but it’s absolutely useless in functioning if all the cogs aren’t whirring at the same speed. It doesn’t do what it needs to. And while there were flashes of the game that has carried them to glory there were too many passengers.
Keeper Ederson, for instance, pulled off a quite magnificent one-handed stop to deny Callum Hudson-Odoi in what was Forest’s best chance of the entire afternoon up until the goal that won it.
But then he was defeated at his near post by the same player in what turned out to be the decisive moment. It was sloppy.
City are looking for inspiration. They’re short of it. Miles off it.
They should have read the script that has played out too often at the City Ground, too. The first goal is vital against Forest.
But during the first-half in particular, they failed to force Forest keeper Matz Sels into enough meaningful action. Erling Haaland - who looks thoroughly miserable - should have done better after Chris Wood miscontrolled and allowed him a sight of goal early on.
Niko smashed a 25-yarder wide, Bernardo Silva skied one after Phil Foden’s one meaningful contribution. Jeremy Doku - who at least looked like he cared - was again off target in the final few moments of the second half.
And, yes, they pressed the hosts in the second half. Yes, Guardiola brought on Kevin de Bruyne in an effort to elicit a response in front of goal.
But Forest soaked it all up. And they completed their mission seven minutes from time.
Morgan Gibbs-White has been at the epicentre of Forest’s emergence this season. He’s had a few excellent outings at the City Ground. But this 90 minutes might be his best.
He threaded a ball out wide to Hudson-Odoi. The winger moved onto the 50-yard pass and strode forward. Josko Gvardiol simply backpedalled and didn’t bother engaging. Hudson-Odoi slipped the ball out of his feet and defeated Ederson who didn’t protect his near post adequately.
The City Ground erupted with joy in the spring sunshine. For them, it could a get a whole lot better. And, on the evidence of this, for Guardiola, it could get a whole lot worse.
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