City laboured to a 2-2 home draw with relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest to leave Arsenal seven points ahead at the top of the Premier League
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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said he would not “point fingers” at any of his players despite his side twice failing to hold onto the lead in the eventual 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest.
City faced Vitor Pereira’s relegation-threatened side at the Etihad on Wednesday night and went ahead through an Antoine Semenyo goal in the first half, though a clever finish from Morgan Gibbs-White drew the visitors level before another equaliser came later on courtesy of rumoured City target Elliot Anderson.
Guardiola’s side were twice in the lead before falling to a draw against Forestopen image in gallery
Guardiola’s side were twice in the lead before falling to a draw against Forest (Getty)
It’s a result that takes the title out of City’s hands, leaving them seven points adrift of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League, though the Guardiola’s team do have a game in hand to come against Crystal Palace.
And after the final whistle, Guardiola explained that he would “like to concede fewer” goals but insisted that he would “never point fingers at my players”.
"It is a lot but there are games that maybe we didn't deserve it but today we played, in general, good for 90 minutes," said Guardiola.
"You have to stop transitions, long balls you have to defend but it's not about this action or that action, in general the game was well played.
"We created a lot against a team so defensive, a really good team, [which is] more dynamic."
"I would like to concede fewer but it's not about analysing one specific action," explained the Spaniard.
"We did everything. We had the chances at the end and in the first half and the momentum. But something always happens and we could not win,” he added.
Rumoured City transfer target Elliot Anderson scored the second Forest equaliseropen image in gallery
Rumoured City transfer target Elliot Anderson scored the second Forest equaliser (Getty Images)
The result hands Arsenal the advantage in the title race, with the Gunners seven points in front ahead of City’s re-arranged game against Palace.
However, Guardiola’s side still have opportunities to land psychological blows on the Gunners, with both sides contesting the Carabao Cup later this month and Arsenal travelling to the Etihad in the league on 19 April.
City are next in league action against West Ham on 14 March, while they face Newcastle in the FA Cup this weekend before travelling to Spain to face Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday 11 March.