Manchester City 2-2 Nottingham Forest: Report, result and goals as hosts lose ground in title race

Manchester City were denied at the last by Nottingham Forest in a chaotic 2-2 draw at the Etihad Stadium, with Murillo producing a goal-line clearance in the 100th minute to preserve a point that could prove significant at both ends of the Premier League table.

Forest began on the front foot and created the first opening inside two minutes. Elliot Anderson saw a volley blocked before Morgan Gibbs-White directed a header straight at Gianluigi Donnarumma.

City gradually settled and took the lead on 31 minutes. Rayan Cherki found Antoine Semenyo unmarked inside the box and the January signing adjusted his body to finish acrobatically past Matz Sels.

It was a sharp piece of movement and an assured first-time strike that gave the hosts a 1-0 advantage at the break.

Forest had their moments before half-time, most notably when Nicolas Dominguez led a three-on-two counter and slipped Gibbs-White through, but the midfielder’s low effort lacked conviction and was gathered by Donnarumma.

City dominated possession after the restart, recording long spells above 90% of the ball, yet Forest found a route back on 56 minutes.

Ola Aina advanced down the right and delivered deep, Igor Jesus headed back across goal, and Gibbs-White improvised with a backheel finish that beat Donnarumma from close range.

The stalemate lasted six minutes. From a Rayan Ait-Nouri corner, Rodri drifted into space and powered a header beyond Sels to restore City’s lead.

But yet another equaliser arrived on 76 minutes. Callum Hudson-Odoi combined neatly with Anderson on the edge of the area, and the midfielder struck low into the bottom-right corner from distance to make it 2-2.

The closing stages were frantic. Ryan Yates headed narrowly wide from a corner, while Rodri fired off target amid penalty appeals that were dismissed after review.

In stoppage time, City forced one final scramble in the box. The ball dropped to Matheus Nunes, whose effort was blocked on the line by Murillo before the referee blew for full-time.