Callum Hudson-Odoi scored late in the second half to earn Nottingham Forest a crucial Premier League victory over fellow Champions League hopefuls Manchester City at the City Ground.
With seven minutes of an otherwise uneventful contest remaining, Hudson-Odoi collected a magnificent Morgan Gibbs-White pass in his stride before beating City goalkeeper Ederson at his near post to send the home fans into ecstasy.
In a game billed as crucial in the race to earn a spot in Europe’s premier club competition next season, City had the better opportunities before the interval but lacked the pace or ingenuity to breach the home side’s dogged defence.
A powerful Nico Gonzalez effort which flew narrowly wide of Matz Sels’ right-hand post was the high point of a drab first half, and there were few signs of improvement early in the second period despite Forest’s greater urgency.
After Nico Dominguez volleyed an Anthony Elanga cross straight at Ederson within seconds of the restart, Hudson-Odoi had a low effort tipped on to the post by the Brazilian midway through the second half.
Pep Guardiola introduced Kevin de Bruyne and Omar Marmoush with 20 minutes remaining but there was little in the way of goalmouth action in the latter stages until Hudson-Odoi’s moment of inspiration.
Guardiola and his players can have few complaints with the outcome as they slipped to a ninth league defeat of a tumultuous season – their joint-most in a single campaign under the Spaniard.
Third-placed Forest move four points clear of City, who stay fourth but could be overtaken by Chelsea if the Blues beat struggling Leicester City on Sunday.
