Man City's Abdukodir Khusanov (second left) scores an own goal in their draw with Brighton. (AP PHOTO)
Man City's Abdukodir Khusanov (second left) scores an own goal in their draw with Brighton. (AP PHOTO) Credit: AAP
Champions League qualification is getting tantalisingly close for Nottingham Forest.
For the champs Manchester City, though, there's still plenty of work to do.
Forest, who many might have thought would be battling relegation this season in the Premier League, moved just a point behind second-place Arsenal by beating Ipswich 4-2 on Saturday.
More importantly perhaps for Forest, the gap to City grew to six points after the soon-to-be-deposed champions drew 2-2 at home to Brighton.
City are hanging onto fifth place, which is likely to be the final Champions League qualification position from the Premier League for next season.
Pep Guardiola's champs twice took the lead in the first half at Etihad Stadium, through Erling Haaland's penalty and Omar Marmoush's fierce shot from outside the box, but they were pegged back each time by opponents who are also in contention to get into the Champions League.
An own-goal by Abdukodir Khusanov in the 48th minute ultimately clinched a point for Brighton, who are only a point behind City.
That meant City have now conceded 40 league goals this season, their most in any single campaign under Guardiola.
Anthony Elanga scored twice for Forest, whose other goals came from Nikola Milenkovic and Jota Silva.
Ipswich, in third-to-last place, dropped nine points adrift of safety after Wolves, the team directly above the relegation zone, won 2-1 at last-place Southampton.
Everton scored in stoppage time to salvage a 1-1 draw at home to West Ham.
[## Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.
Sign up for our emails](https://thewest.com.au/manage-email-preferences)