Callum Hudson-Odoi scored a late goal as Nottingham Forest beat Manchester City 1-0 to take a huge step towards Champions League qualification.
While both sides hit the post, it was a game of few chances before a lovely move from Forest set Hudson-Odoi clear on the right, and he beat Ederson at his near post in the 83rd minute.
The win puts third-placed Forest four points clear of closest challengers City in the Premier League with 10 matches each to go, with Chelsea — who are at home against second-bottom Leicester City on Sunday for their game in hand — a point behind Pep Guardiola’s outgoing champions.
Callum Hudson-Odoi fires Nottingham Forest into the lead against Man City! 💥
How about that assist from Morgan Gibbs-White 😮💨
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/WiR5642xK3
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 8, 2025
Here, our writers break down the key talking points of the match.
Glorious – and crucial – goal
It was not exactly another smash-and-grab raid, but it was another memorable strike from Callum Hudson-Odoi.
When Morgan Gibbs-White picked out the winger on Forest’s right side, he still had much work to do. But it was also a rare opportunity for the Chelsea academy graduate to prod and probe at the City defence.
And he did exactly that, producing clever footwork to twist and turn and create half a yard of space for a shot. He used that gap brilliantly, somehow finding a space for a second time to beat Ederson at his near post.
(Sykes/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
Hudson-Odoi also scored the goal deep into the second half that suggested Forest might be capable of something special when they beat now champions-elect Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield in September. This one felt just as significant, as he struck with seven minutes of the 90 remaining to give Forest a victory that felt every bit as significant as that one.
Paul Taylor
Question marks over wingers
This was a pretty sloppy afternoon for most of the players involved but the performances of City’s wingers are under the microscope after an eye-catching but ultimately fruitless display in a 2-0 home loss against Liverpool a couple of weeks ago.
The problem is both Savinho and especially Jeremy Doku are very skilled dribblers and can excite fans, but they can frustrate in equal measure with their lack of end-product. It is easy to feel sorry for striker Erling Haaland in that regard; as he tries to work out which run to make, either one of his wingers is stepping left and right to get around their man, and then the ball, when it is delivered, does not reach him anyway.
Haaland was off-target with a couple of early efforts here (one deflected, to be fair, the other scuffed), so it is not as if he did his job faultlessly, but this was another match where City’s wingers looked like they might make something happen, only for it not to materialise.
Sam Lee
Nuno’s tactical nous
Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo delivered another tactical masterclass.
The starting XI he named did not really contain any surprises. But the manner in which they lined up for the opening kick-off was slightly unexpected.
Forest began in a 4-4-2, with Anthony Elanga pushed up into a more advanced role alongside striker Chris Wood. When the home side were out of possession, one of those two always dropped deeper to help out defensively, with Forest generally having two banks of four sitting between City and their goal.
4 – Nuno Espírito Santo has won four Premier League games against Pep Guardiola, in the Spaniard’s top-flight league career only Jürgen Klopp (5) has more wins against him. Impressive. pic.twitter.com/mTbEBfmPlS
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 8, 2025
Though Forest were defensively solid and disciplined, this also left Wood and Elanga looking slightly isolated. A clever effort from Wood just before the interval was his team’s only shot on target in the first half.
But just as they had done at Anfield early in the season, Forest were rewarded for going into a more attacking mode later in the game. After switching to their more usual 4-2-3-1, it was Hudson-Odoi who made the breakthrough.
Following the goal, Morato was introduced to go three at the back and help see the game out.
Paul Taylor
Four subs, no Grealish
This was a match where Guardiola was both willing and able to bring on four substitutes to try to freshen up City’s performance… but none of them were Jack Grealish.
The England winger started against Championship side Plymouth in the FA Cup last weekend and Guardiola said he would be able to play today, noting it had been seven days between matches, perhaps a nod to his earlier assertion that Grealish has not had the fitness to play every three days at times this season.
Gonzalez strikes at goal (Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
The 29-year-old was pictured out and about in both Manchester and the north-east last weekend and, in isolation, that should not really be a problem, given he had two days off, but it is a pattern at this point, and while Guardiola did not want to comment on it at his pe-game press conference, the eventual team selection might have done that for him.
Sam Lee
Two sides of Ederson
The thing with City at the moment is that you can never be quite sure what to expect and that was obvious all over the pitch at the City Ground, but perhaps most notably in goal.
Ederson made a world-class save down to his left to deny Hudson-Odoi, and at that point it looked like it might have ensured this largely uneventful match ended goalless, but the next time they faced each other, the Forest winger came out on top, firing in a late winner at the near post.
What a save this is from Ederson 👏
He pushes Callum Hudson-Odoi’s effort onto the post to keep the score 0-0 🧤
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/XTGBFqb5pu
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 8, 2025
Goalkeepers are always questioned when beaten like that and this shot certainly looked saveable.
After his heroics earlier, it was a real disappointment for the Brazilian.
Sam Lee
Forest eye Europe
It was not a three-point haul that made certain of Champions League qualification for Forest — but it was a massive demonstration of intent, nevertheless.
If anyone had begun to doubt their ability to secure a top-five finish in the Premier League following three games without a win, this performance was a reminder of everything that has underlined their remarkable rise this season having been fighting relegation in the previous two.
Defensively disciplined and resolute, Forest once more struck on the break to secure a 1-0 win that gives them a small but immensely valuable four-point cushion between them and fourth-placed City, with both sides having 10 games left to play.
Forest have only conceded 10 goals in their 14 league matches so far this season at the City Ground — and this may have been Matz Sels’ most significant clean sheet yet.
Paul Taylor
What did Nuno Espirito Santo say?
“We are happy. We are very happy. We played a very good game against a very tough team. Defensively, we were good. Our organisation was good. Our cover, our double-ups, they were fundamental for us. Callum had a previous chance when he did well. When you try to create these situations — and you succeed — we have the talent.
“It is important for our fans to realise that we can compete against every team. But nothing changes. It is not a landmark. We were not stable at half time at Newcastle. The way we responded to that felt like the pivotal moment in the previous games for us.”
What did Pep Guardiola say?
“It was a tight game. At the end, one action on a transition we missed a pass and they did a transition and scored. We were a little slow in our process, we struggled to make chances but I always give credit to the opponent because they defended really well. Everyone was so connected. Our game was a little bit slow, we couldn’t contact with the final third and when we arrived in the final third we didn’t have the brilliance .
“With ten games left, they are in the position that they are because they are good.
“We have to win games. We don’t win enough games in a row to be secure, we have to win a lot of games to qualify”
On qualification for the Champions League, he added: “Yeah, to find a way we have to play better. We have to do something, it will not come from the sky. Of course, the situation is what it is. Ten games left, next Saturday Brighton and after we will see what happens.”
What next for Nottingham Forest?
Saturday, March 15: Ipswich (Away), Premier League, 3pm UK, 10am ET
What next for Manchester City?
Saturday, March 15: Brighton (Home), Premier League, 3pm UK, 10am ET
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(Top photo: Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)
