Manchester City dropped two crucial points in the title race as relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest twice came from behind twice to rescue a 2-2 draw at the Etihad Stadium.
A header from Rodri just after the hour put City back on course for victory after Morgan Gibbs-White cancelled out Antoine Semenyo’s opener but Elliot Anderson levelled for a second time.
The result meant City fell seven points behind Arsenal at the top of the Premier League and Forest stayed out of the bottom three, albeit only on goal difference.
City do still have a game in hand on the Gunners, who they play on April 19, but manager Pep Guardiola will rue another game in which his side lost control in the second half — taking the total number of points dropped from winning positions this season to 13.
“Maybe it’s a lot,” Guardiola said. “But there are games where we don’t deserve it. Today we played in general good for 90 minutes…
“It’s not about this action or that action. In general when we analyse the game the game was well played.
“In the end we created a lot against a team that is really defensive, a really good time. We were dynamic. We missed maybe more contact with Erling (Haaland), his incredible movements, we have to look for him a bit more, but in general it was well played.”
Forest, meanwhile, are still to win in the league under new manager Vitor Pereira but on this evidence they a fighting chance of survival.
Ryan Yates even went close to grabbing a late winner when he headed narrowly side in stoppage time but Semenyo also had a free-kick turned over and a Savinho shot was blocked on the line.
City initially seemed comfortable but, although Semenyo lashed a shot into the side-netting in the opening minutes, they needed to play patiently against Forest’s well-structured defence.
The chances eventually came and Erling Haaland created one when he intercepted a poor clearance by Matz Sels, but Bernardo Silva’s effort was deflected into the goalkeeper’s arms.
Phil Foden sliced an effort wide before shooting straight at Sels.
The pressure paid off as Rayan Cherki drifted into the box and crossed back for Semenyo, who adjusted well to volley past Sels. It was his fifth goal in eight Premier League appearances since his move from Bournemouth.
Forest’s only significant openings before the break saw Gibbs-White and Igor Jesus shoot tamely at Gianluigi Donnarumma and they were fortunate not to fall 2-0 down as Haaland almost turned in a Semenyo cross.
Silva forced a good save from Sels early in the second half and Cherki blasted over, but City were rocked when Forest struck back after 56 minutes.
It came against the run of play and City briefly switched off as Ola Aina was allowed to break and cross from the right after outpacing Rayan Aït-Nouri.
Jesus nodded down at the back post and Gibbs-White wrong-footed Donnarumma with an instinctive backheel.
The goal charged the atmosphere and City hit back powerfully, reclaiming the lead just after the hour.
For all the talk of Arsenal’s reliance on set-pieces in the title race, it was City who benefited from one on this occasion as Rodri got forward at a corner to bullet home a header from Ait-Nouri’s cross.
Forest claimed Sels was impeded but their complaints fell on deaf ears, leaving them needing to respond again.
That they did 14 minutes from time through the inspirational Anderson, who played a one-two with Callum Hudson-Odoi and then curled a superb finish into the bottom corner from outside the area.
There was drama until the end as Yates went agonisingly close before Sels kept out Semenyo’s free kick and Savinho was denied in a goalmouth scramble with the last kick of the game.
The initiative in the title race is now firmly with Arsenal after their 1-0 win at Brighton, but attention in the short term switches to this weekend’s FA Cup fixtures.
“The feeling is we have to play one less,” Guardiola said when asked about the title race. “Now it is Newcastle, always the thought is about what’s next.”
Information from PA was used in this recap.
