Premier League: Manchester Metropolis’s Champions League hopes undergo a serious blow with 0-1 loss towards Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest dealt a serious blow to Manchester Metropolis’s bid to qualify for the Champions League as Callum Hudson-Odoi’s late winner sealed a 1-0 victory within the high 4 shoot-out on Saturday.

Metropolis have been diminished to battling for a spot in subsequent season’s Champions League after a dismal marketing campaign.

Even that often routine goal is way from assured for Guardiola’s males following their ninth league defeat this time period.

With six titles previously seven seasons, Metropolis have hardly ever needed to fear about their place within the Premier League’s high 4 within the Pep Guardiola period.

But they left the Metropolis Floor wanting anxiously over their shoulders after a primary league loss to Forest since 1997.

Fifth-placed Chelsea, only one level adrift of Metropolis, will go above the champions in the event that they beat lowly Leicester on Sunday.

Nottingham Forest’s 1-0 win towards Man Metropolis places them even additional forward of final season’s champions!#NFOMCI pic.twitter.com/e2mV2eQiHj

— Premier League (@premierleague) March 8, 2025

Ending fifth may nonetheless be sufficient for Metropolis to achieve Europe’s elite membership competitors relying on the outcomes of the English golf equipment who stay in continental competitions this time period.

For Metropolis to attain that modest aim, they must considerably enhance on the most recent limp show in a turbulent season.

Third-placed Forest are 4 factors away from Metropolis because of solely their third win of their final eight league video games.

Having fun with a fairytale season only a yr after battling relegation, the previous European champions are closing on a berth within the Champions League for the primary time since 1980-81.

COME ON! 😤 pic.twitter.com/vK0FdPq738

— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) March 8, 2025

After Forest’s former defender Stuart Pearce was rushed to hospital having been taken in poor health on a flight this week, his previous membership displayed an enormous display screen message studying ‘Get Effectively Quickly Stuart’, after three minutes of the Premier League sport, recognising Pearce’s previous shirt quantity three.

Metropolis Floor erupts

Forest have been in a position to attract on the ultra-aggressive Pearce’s trademark fireplace and brimstone in a stirring finale that adopted a tepid first half.

Nico Gonzalez fired simply extensive from 25 yards as Metropolis tried in useless to grab the initiative in a nervous begin from each groups.

The unseasonably sunny climate by the banks of the River Trent gave a soporific really feel to what ought to have been a high-tempo conflict with a lot at stake.

Metropolis went shut when Josko Gvardiol picked out Phil Foden, whose goal-bound shot was blocked by Nicolas Dominguez, earlier than Bernardo Silva wastefully fired over with Erling Haaland unmarked and ready for a go that by no means got here.

Jeremy Doku’s strike pressured Forest keeper Matz Sels into motion for the primary time.

However a woeful effort from Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White completed nearer to the nook flag than the aim, an unpleasant misfire in step with the scrappy fare.

Anthony Elanga crossed to the far put up the place Dominguez’s volley lastly pressured Ederson to make a save quickly after the interval.

Guardiola despatched on Omar Marmoush, Kevin De Bruyne, Rico Lewis and Mateo Kovacic in a bid to spark Metropolis into life.

The adjustments didn’t have the specified impact as Forest discovered late momentum.

Ederson made a advantageous save, turning Hudson-Odoi’s roller onto the put up.

De Bruyne’s free-kick was saved by Sels, however Hudson-Odoi stole the factors because the Metropolis Floor erupted within the 83rd minute.

Gibbs-White conjured an inch-perfect go to Hudson-Odoi and the ahead minimize inside earlier than drilling an outstanding strike previous Ederson’s weak tried save on the close to put up.