Premier League title race still wide open

Pep Guardiola insisted the Premier League title race remains open despite Manchester City being held to a 2-2 draw by Nottingham Forest.

City twice moved in front through Antoine Semenyo and Rodri, only to be pegged back on each occasion as Forest claimed a point in their fight to avoid relegation.

The result ended City’s six-match winning run and leaves them seven points adrift of Arsenal, albeit with a game in hand and a home fixture against the leaders still to come.

With nine league matches remaining, Guardiola’s focus was firmly on the road ahead rather than the gap at the top.

“[There are] still many games to play, them one less,” he said. “Now it’s Newcastle (in the FA Cup) and I always think about what’s next.

“If we analyse then in general it was a good performance and there were many good things. Of course we have things we can improve but in general pretty good.

“There are games that maybe we don’t deserve it but today we play in general good for more than 90 minutes.

“Okay you cannot stop the transition or long balls – it’s not about this action or the other action, in general we played well.

“They were so defensive and are a really good team. We were dynamic.

“Maybe we miss contact with Erling and his incredible movements, we have to look for him a little bit more. But apart from that, in general it was okay.”

Erling Haaland returned to the starting XI after missing the win over Leeds with a knock and was involved in a contentious moment when a penalty appeal was waved away. Guardiola refused to criticise the officials.

“Always I believe we have to do it much better to make sure the officials don’t intervene,” he said.

“It’s our responsibility to be better. If we have to rely on them it’s impossible. Nothing more to say.”

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