EPL: Man City Stumble, Forest Soar in Champions League Chase
Manchester City’s hopes of securing a Champions League spot took a hit as they drew 2-2 against Brighton. Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest continued their impressive campaign by defeating Ipswich 4-2, further solidifying their position in the race for European football.
City, who have had a challenging season, initially took the lead through Erling Haaland, who scored his 29th goal of the season from a penalty won by Omar Marmoush. However, their advantage was short-lived as Brighton’s Pervis Estupinan curled in a stunning free-kick just ten minutes later, leveling the score.
Marmoush, who was a bright spark for City throughout the match, reclaimed the lead with a long-range strike before halftime. But the second half saw Brighton respond quickly, with Abdukodir Khusanov turning a Jack Hinshelwood shot into his own net just three minutes after the restart.
Despite City’s attempts to regain the upper hand, including a close call from Nico Gonzalez hitting the post, they were unable to find a winner. This draw leaves them in fifth place, just one point ahead of Brighton, who are now in seventh.
City manager Pep Guardiola expressed confidence despite the setback, noting, “I know it will be difficult for many reasons, but we have nine games, nine finals.” His focus remains on securing a top-five finish, which would likely guarantee Champions League qualification given the strong performances of English clubs in Europe this season.
In contrast, Nottingham Forest delivered a dominant performance at Portman Road, striking three times in a blistering six-minute spell in the first half. Nikola Milenkovic opened the scoring with a powerful shot off the underside of the bar, followed by two quick goals from Anthony Elanga, who capitalized on Ipswich’s defensive errors.
Forest’s victory puts them just one point behind second-placed Arsenal and six points clear of City, boosting their hopes of returning to the Champions League for the first time since 1980. Manager Nuno Espirito Santo emphasized the need for focus as the season progresses, stating, “There is a lot of football to be played yet.”
Ipswich managed to score two late consolation goals through Jens Cajuste and George Hirst, but their struggles continue in their fight against relegation, worsened by Wolves’ 2-1 victory over Southampton, which pushed them nine points clear of the bottom three.
In other matches, Bournemouth’s European aspirations suffered a setback with a 2-1 defeat to Brentford, while Everton extended their unbeaten run to nine games with a last-minute equalizer against West Ham.
