Manchester City, the league leaders, were to made to hang on to beat Nottingham Forest despite Rodri’s red card but maintained their perfect Premier League season start.
City dominated the first half, with Phil Foden and Erling Haaland scoring early goals. However, the game took a drastic turn just 27 seconds into the second half. Rodri received a straight red card for violent conduct after an altercation with Morgan Gibbs-White. VAR upheld referee Anthony Taylor’s decision.
Forest had been outplayed until then, as City had exploited their right side to score both goals. Kyle Walker set up Foden, who neatly finished for City’s opener, while Matheus Nunes provided an unmarked Haaland with a header.
In the second half, City had to defend their lead. Forest struggled to create clear chances, with Orel Mangala and Taiwo Awoniyi missing opportunities. Ederson denied Anthony Elanga late in the game.
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Tempers flared in the closing minutes, with Pep Guardiola and the home fans unhappy with the referee’s decisions. However, City held on for their sixth consecutive win.
With the top four teams playing on Sunday, City extended their lead to five points at the top of the table.
Rodri’s first-ever Premier League red card could prove costly, especially in the upcoming matches against Wolves, Arsenal, and Brighton.
Despite Forest having an extra man, they struggled to apply significant pressure on City, showing caution with the ball and relying on long-range efforts.
Only in the closing minutes did Forest push forward, with Anthony Elanga coming closest to scoring, but Ederson made a crucial save.