Nottingham Forest's Portuguese manager Nuno Espirito Santo (L) greets Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola (R) ahead of kick-off in the English Premier League football match between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City.Nottingham Forest's Portuguese manager Nuno Espirito Santo (L) greets Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola (R) ahead of kick-off in the English Premier League football match between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City.
Nottingham Forest's Portuguese manager Nuno Espirito Santo (L) greets Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola (R) ahead of kick-off in the English Premier League football match between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City. | AFP via Getty Images
Manchester City are currently fifth in the Premier League table, one point off Chelsea in fourth place.
Manchester City remain in the hunt for a Champions League spot alongside the likes of Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa and more. They dropped points for the second consecutive Premier League game over the weekend as they drew 2-2 to Brighton and Hove Albion at the Etihad Stadium.
It comes after they lost to Nottingham Forest the week before in a game that damaged their hopes of a Champions League spot. Pep Guardiola’s side currently sit fifth in the table, which is expected to provide a place in Europe’s top competition next season.
They are fifth, whereas Forest sit in third place six points ahead of City, and Chelsea are one point ahead. Behind Guardiola’s side are Newcastle and Brighton (1 point behind) and Fulham and Aston Villa (3 points behind). However, what does their run-in look like, and how do their nine remaining fixtures compare to their rivals?
Guardiola makes “nine finals” comment
City’s draw against Brighton could prove damaging. They took the lead via Erling Haaland, before Pervis Estupinian equalised for the Seagulls. Omar Marmoush then scored to take the lead for City, but Brighton equalised again as an Abdukodir Khusanov own goal meant that the two sides split the points.
After the game, City manager Guardiola emphasised just how important the remaining nine games are for the club. He told ESPN: “Nine games, nine finals.
“I'm always confident, I am a master. I find the positiveness in everything. I know it will be difficult. We came back in the game [against Brighton] and had really good moments. They had one clear chance then but we were there and we pushed until the end. We'll take the point."
Man City’s final nine games compared to rivals
Man City: Leicester City (H), Man Utd (A), Crystal Palace (H), Everton (A), Aston Villa (H), Wolves (H) Southampton (A), Bournemouth (H), Fulham (A).
Nottingham Forest: Man Utd (H), Aston Villa (A), Everton (H), Tottenham (A), Brentford (H), Crystal Palace (A), Leicester (H), West Ham (A), Chelsea (H).
Chelsea: Spurs (H), Brentford (A), Ipswich (H), Fulham (A), Everton (H), Liverpool (H), Newcastle (A), Man Utd (H), Nottingham Forest (A).
Newcastle: Brentford (H), Leicester City, (A), Man Utd (H), Crystal Palace (H), Aston Villa (A), Ipswich Town (H), Brighton & Hove Albion (A), Chelsea (H), Arsenal, (A) Everton (H).
Brighton: Aston Villa (H), Crystal Palace (A). Leicester City (H). Brentford (A). West Ham United (H), Newcastle United (H), Wolves (A), Liverpool (H), Tottenham Hotspur (A).
Aston Villa: Brighton (A), Nottingham Forest (H), Southampton (A), Newcastle United (H), Man City (A), Fulham (H), Bournemouth (A), Tottenham Hotspur (H), Man Utd (A).
Bournemouth: Ipswich (H), West Ham (A), Fulham (H), Crystal Palace (A), Man Utd (H), Arsenal (A), Aston Villa (H), Fulham (A), and Leicester (H).
Fulham: Arsenal (A), Liverpool (H), Bournemouth (A), Bournemouth (A), Chelsea (H), Southampton (A), Aston Villa (A), Everton (H), Brentford (A), and Manchester City (H).
In other news, the chances of a £30 million deal between Man City and Leeds United is looking slim.