On a Saturday afternoon in Nottingham, Manchester City suffered a 1-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest in a match crucial for Champions League qualification.
Despite being the reigning Premier League champions, Manchester City struggled to create clear chances, though a draw might have been considered acceptable given Nottingham Forest’s strong season.
However, Forest managed to secure a victory with Callum Hudson-Odoi scoring the decisive goal. A brilliant long pass from Morgan Gibbs-White found the former Chelsea winger, who penetrated the City penalty area and scored at the near post, making it 1-0.
Manchester City displayed a disappointing performance. Statistics show they dominated possession with 69% and had more shots (14 to Forest’s 9), but only managed to get three shots on target.
This result puts Manchester City in a difficult position in their pursuit of a top-four finish, raising concerns about their Champions League qualification. Guardiola stated after the game that they face “ten finals” to secure their place in Europe’s top club competition.
Ederson’s Performance Against Forest
Ederson, Manchester City’s primary goalkeeper, had an inconsistent game. He made several excellent saves, including a notable one around the 60th minute. However, he could have performed better in conceding the only goal.
Ederson’s impressive save in the 66th minute denied Hudson-Odoi, who cut inside and shot towards the goal. Ederson brilliantly tipped the curling shot onto the post, keeping the score at 0-0.
However, he was less convincing on the goal. Hudson-Odoi challenged Josko Gvardiol and shot from the outside. Ederson was beaten at the near post by a shot that deflected slightly off Gvardiol, and which he arguably should have saved.
In a challenging season for Ederson, conceding in this manner in a crucial game was far from ideal. Nevertheless, he wasn’t the only Manchester City player who underperformed at the City Ground.
Could This Be the End for a Man City Star Under Pep?
Despite Ederson’s underwhelming performance, Matheus Nunes’ display was arguably worse. Playing at right-back, the Portuguese player struggled against Hudson-Odoi, who consistently threatened the City defense.
Simon Bajkowski, a journalist from the Manchester Evening News, rated Nunes’ performance at 5/10. He mentioned Nunes conceding “needless corners” but acknowledged his resilience in “battling through injury.”
Nunes’ statistics from the match were unexceptional. He had 58 touches and an 88% pass completion rate. Defensively, he struggled, winning only one of three tackles and one of six ground duels.
| Nunes stats vs. Forest | |
|---|---|
| Stat | Number |
| Touches | 58 |
| Pass accuracy | 88% |
| Passes completed | 43/49 |
| Ground duels won | 1/6 |
| Tackles won | 1/3 |
| Number of times ball lost | 8 |
| Stats from Sofascore | |
Right-back has been a problematic position for Guardiola this season. Kyle Walker’s form declined before his loan departure. Rico Lewis is promising but lacks experience, leading to Nunes being deployed at right-back at times.
After another disappointing performance from Nunes, Manchester City might need to strengthen their right-back options. They have been linked with Andrea Cambiaso, who can play on both full-back positions.
Regardless of Nunes’ future, his time at right-back may be limited. While talented, he has been vulnerable in that position, as seen in the Manchester Derby against Amad in December.
It remains to be seen how long Guardiola will continue with Nunes at right-back, especially with “ten finals” remaining this season, making any decision a significant one.
Vihaan Mehrotra