Manchester City

West Ham and Brazil midfielder Lucas Paqueta, 26, says he is "very happy" at the club amid speculation that he will join Manchester City. (ESPN, via Goal), external

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Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been speaking to BBC Match of the Day after the win: "It was more than hard. It was such a difficult game, but we knew that. The game we played in Brighton feels like a few hours ago, so it is always difficult.

"Coming here, Liverpool won in the 99th minute and Arsenal won 2-1, so it is always difficult to come here. It was a difficult game, we suffered a lot but at the end we take it."

On the best things about the performance: "We defended the box really good, especially with Manu [Akanji], Nathan [Ake] and Josko [Gvardiol]. Then, in the last half an hour, when Bernardo [Silva] comes inside with Kova [Kovacic], we controlled the game more. We are a team that survives with the ball.

"It is a lot of games and we knew today would be difficult for many reasons, but we take the win and move forward."

On playing after their rivals in the title race: "The pressure is how you play. If you play good and control the game, then people say you don't feel the pressure. If you play bad, people say you can feel the pressure.

"In certain moments, we suffered. We were lucky today the pitch was so dry because of the chances they missed - that was the reason why. We were lucky today that the pitch was in these conditions."

On Erling Haaland's return and the absence of others: "It is important that he is back and doing what he does. Kevin found him and it was a really good finish. He was not ready for 90 minutes, but it was good for him to be back.

"Ruben [Dias] had a fever and made the effort to go to Brighton, but since coming back from there it has gotten worse. Phil [Foden] said today that he doesn't feel good, so that is why he couldn't be with us."

On having six days off now: "First have two or three days off, people have to rest and refresh the mind, do a training session, have fun and then prepare for the next game against Wolves."

Image source, Getty Images

Former Newcastle United winger Chris Waddle has been discussing Manchester City's chances of a fourth consecutive Premier League title and the return of Erling Haaland on BBC Radio 5 Live: "Erling Haaland is a goal scorer, it's as simple as that.

"He isn't known for his link-up play, dribbling or skills - he is a goal scorer and that is what he is good at. It was a good finish and he passed it into the bottom corner.

"With Erling Haaland coming back, he will probably be the difference.

"Manchester City are just an outfit who know how to win matches, they know what they need to do.

"The ball was very lively and it caused City a few problems, but credit to Forest's tactics. They were good and they caught City on the break.

"For an hour, Forest gave them a very good game."

Manchester City goalscorer Josko Gvardiol has been speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "I am more than happy to score one more goal in this difficult game to help the team. Also, it was a great ball from Kevin [de Bruyne], we know his qualities.

"I am more happy about getting the three points. Finally we have six days to rest and recover well, and prepare for the next one."

On playing a more advanced role today: "At the beginning it was one idea, then the manager changed it after half an hour, then again at half-time he made a change back so we were doing the same as at the beginning of the game.

"To be fair, I was a bit lost because I didn't know exactly what he wanted from me, but he was much clearer after at half-time."

On the result not conveying how tough the game was: "Yes, the result looks like the match was pretty easy but the conditions were really tough, especially the pitch. The grass was really dry, which is what we expected before the game.

"I get it because they were also fighting for the points but, as I said, it was difficult. At the end of the day, it's three points back home."

On if there is more pressure playing after the other title hopefuls: "If you ask me, not really no. They have played one game more than us, so all we need to do is to go game by game.

"The end of the season is coming soon and we need to be 100% focused."

On this part of the season being City's time of year: "I have heard it a lot, yes. It is my first season, it is really difficult and it is really stressful, but that is why I'm here.

"I am really enjoying it and hopefully we are going to win it [the Premier League], but there are still four games to play."

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has been speaking to Sky Sports following the win: "It is an important win, it does not matter how we do it. It is good to be back.

"We knew it was going to be a fight, and the pitch was not the easiest to play on, but we cannot complain.

"It is about winning and that is exactly what we did."

Image source, Getty Images

It gets to a certain point in the season where it seems Manchester City can put in an average performance and still win games.

Recent history tells us that when it matters, Pep Guardiola's side know how to turn it on.

At the City Ground, they were not at their best against an aggressive and fired up Nottingham Forest who are battling relegation.

But goals from Josko Gvardiol and Erling Haaland sealed the three points and ensured the Premier League title remains City's to lose as they sit one point off league-leaders Arsenal with a game in hand.

City fans will be pleased to see Haaland on the score sheet after a two-game absence from the squad through injury.

Guardiola was without Phil Foden and Ruben Dias for the trip to Nottingham with both suffering with illness.

And there was further concern when goalkeeper Ederson had to be substituted at half-time after a clash with Willy Boly and the Brazilian left the City Ground with his left arm in a sling.

But their experience at this point in the season ultimately shone through and the title remains in their hands.

If both they and Arsenal keep winning, and City take advantage of their game in hand, then Guardiola's team will take the title by two points, securing a record fourth consecutive trophy.

Here are the key facts and figures following Sunday’s game between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City in the Premier League.

• Manchester City have won eight of their last nine Premier League away games (D1) and have now won more games on their travels this season in the competition (12) than they managed in the whole of last season (11).

• After winning two of their first three Premier League games under Nuno Espirito Santo (L1), Nottingham Forest have since won just two of their past 15 games in the competition (D4 L9). The Reds have now suffered more league defeats this season (19) than in the whole of last season (18).

• Nottingham Forest have conceded 23 Premier League goals from set pieces, excluding penalties, this season. In the competition's history, only Fulham in 2013-14 (28), Tottenham in 2007-08 (26) and West Brom in 2010-11 (24) have ever shipped more set piece goals in a single campaign.

• Since the start of last season, Kevin De Bruyne has assisted Erling Haaland 11 times in the Premier League, which is at least three more than any other player has assisted a single teammate in this time.

• After not scoring in any of his first 32 appearances for Manchester City in all competitions, Josko Gvardiol has since scored three goals in his past five appearances for the club.

• Pep Guardiola oversaw his 300th Premier League game in charge of Manchester City, making him only the fifth manager to take charge of that many games with a single club in the competition, after Arsene Wenger (828 with Arsenal), Alex Ferguson (810 with Manchester United), David Moyes (427 with Everton) and Jurgen Klopp (331 with Liverpool).

Erling Haaland marked his return with a goal as Manchester City kept up the pressure on leaders Arsenal with victory over Nottingham Forest.

The Norwegian striker missed two games through injury but came off the bench in the 62nd minute at the City Ground.

He slotted into the left corner nine minutes later to wrap up the points and keep City a point behind Arsenal, the Premier League front-runners.

City went ahead 32 minutes in as Josko Gvardiol scored with a powerful near-post header from Kevin de Bruyne's in-swinging corner.

That came while Forest's Neco Williams was off the pitch receiving treatment for an injury, which he subsequently had to go off for.

Pep Guardiola's City have a game in hand over Arsenal, but may still need to win all of their games between now and the end of the season to secure a record fourth consecutive Premier League title.

This was a far from comfortable afternoon for the visitors as Forest disrupted their flow and created a number of good opportunities.

Based on this performance, it is hard to believe Nuno Espirito Santo's side are in a relegation fight, but they remain just one point above the drop zone.

After a tumultuous time off the pitch, in which they have criticised refereeing standards, this was a determined display from Forest, but they ultimately paid the price for missed chances.

Were you at the match or did you follow it from elsewhere?

Forest fans - let us know your thoughts on the game here

How did you rate the side's performance, City fans?

Follow all of the reaction here

Three matches make up Sunday's Premier League action, and we will bring you every moment.

Follow live text updates here

Listen to all three games on BBC Sounds:

• Bournemouth v Brighton - from 14:00 BST on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Tottenham v Arsenal - from 14:00 BST on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Nottingham Forest v Manchester City - from 16:30 BST on BBC Radio 5 Live

Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches again this season, against a variety of guests.

For this weekend's games, he takes on Andy Bell and Steve Queralt from Ride, who support Arsenal and Tottenham.

Sutton's prediction: 1-2

Manchester City were so impressive against Brighton on Thursday. There would have been some Arsenal fans who switched the TV on, hoping to see their title rivals slip up - but they had wrapped the game up by half-time.

When you see City perform like that, you think who can get near them... but I have a feeling this game is going to be a lot closer for the defending champions.

Nottingham Forest have shown us plenty of times before that they can be stubborn at home - including when Chris Wood got them a point late on against City there last season - and I don't think they will be swatted aside so easily.

The crowd is going to be raucous, contesting every decision that goes against Forest after the outcry from the club over the officiating in last week's defeat by Everton.

The officials did get one of the three incidents in question wrong, because Ashley Young's challenge on Callum Hudson-Odoi was a penalty.

But what worried me was seeing Forest defender Neco Williams come out afterwards, saying the same things happen every week, and how the top-six teams would not get those calls against them.

What are Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo and his players focusing on? If they are going into games thinking about who is the referee or who is on video assistant referee duty then they are taking their eye off the thing that really matters, which is their performance levels on the pitch.

On Sunday they are playing against a team where they really can't afford to lose their focus. They are capable of giving City a good game but keeping their concentration is the key.

Steve's prediction: 0-2

It's going to be a walk in the park for City.

Andy's prediction: 1-2

I can't quite condemn Forest to not getting a goal.

Read the rest of their predictions here

Image source, Getty Images

Could Arsenal's result in the north London derby on Sunday afternoon impact Manchester City's performance against Nottingham Forest?

The current Premier League leaders kick off at 14:00 BST at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, meaning City will know the result by the time they begin at 16:30 BST.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast, Manchester Evening News reporter Simon Bajkowski said "little things" could make the difference in the title race.

"I think they [Manchester City] will be a lot more confident after last night [against Brighton]," he said. "In 2024, Arsenal have really been the form team and they've been the one that have been dominating every team they have played, racking up huge scores and City and Liverpool, to an extent, have been hanging on in there.

"There is an interesting parallel from last season where City had beaten Arsenal in February to go top of the league and then travelled to Forest. Arsenal have got the derby on Sunday which is a huge game for them but City will know the result before they kick off.

"Will that play into the game as much as them needing the points and Forest needing the points? It's the time of the season where every little thing could make the difference."

Here is a selection of the key facts and figures before Nottingham Forest host Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday, 16:30 BST.

• Nottingham Forest have lost just three of their past 16 top-flight home games against Manchester City - in 1985, 1990 and 1993.

• City have lost both of their Premier League games in the Midlands so far this season, going down 2-1 at Wolves and 1-0 at Aston Villa. They last lost three consecutive such visits between March and December 2008.

• Forest have kept just one clean sheet in their past 23 Premier League games, with that coming via a 2-0 win over West Ham in February.

• Pep Guardiola will become the 19th manager to take charge of 300 Premier League games in this match, and just the fifth to do so for a single club. Six of the last seven bosses to do so have lost their milestone match - the exception being a 3-0 win for Jurgen Klopp against Aston Villa earlier this season.

• Nuno Espirito Santo has won three of his past five Premier League encounters with City, including his most recent one with Spurs in August 2021 (1-0). In fact, the Portuguese has lost just one of his four home top-flight matches against Pep Guardiola, a 1-3 loss to Wolves in September 2020.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says it is a "dream come true" to be fighting for the Premier League again.

The defending champions, who face relegation battling Nottingham Forest on Sunday, are one point behind leaders Arsenal with a game in hand after thumping Brighton 4-0 on Thursday night.

If they were to go on and win the trophy, they would become the first team to win the competition four times in succession.

"Of course, all the teams in that [title race] are tired - it's normal at the end of the season," Guardiola said. "But in the same time, it's so exciting. Fighting again for the Premier League? It's a dream come true.

"I could not expect it, honestly. I know always you dream to be there. But what happened in the past? I had this season that maybe we would not be able to do it."

Midfielder Phil Foden was once again the talisman for City with two goals in their win over the Seagulls and Guardiola will be hoping his form can carry them to another league title.

"Phil has a sixth gear but he cannot play all the time in sixth gear - he has to play in second and third," he said. "I think, with time, he will learn that.

"I would love for him to go in sixth gear every single action but after you are less precise - that is not effective. He has to know when he has to be aggressive and when he has to be more calm.

"Everything is so quick - football has to be slower sometimes [in order] to become quicker after to surprise the opponent. He will understand the game through years and years and experiences. But he loves to play and his work ethic is unbelievable.

"We are really pleased and happy for him and hopefully in the last month ahead of us he doesn't stop."

Listen to full commentary of Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City on Sunday from 16:30 BST on BBC Radio 5 Live

Manchester City will be giving their Premier League rivals a familiar uneasy feeling after the manner in which the dismissed Brighton at Amex Stadium on Thursday.

A fixture that many thought might be a banana skin was negotiated with consummate skill, a three-goal lead at half-time ending up as a comfortable 4-0 win.

Arsenal may be the current Premier League leaders but City are only a point behind with a game in hand and it is that time of the year when they usually embark on an unstoppable surge as they go in search of a fourth successive title.

City are unbeaten in 18 league games since the loss at Aston Villa in December and visit struggling Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Sunday.

The romp at Brighton was inspired by the usual suspects, even with main marksman Erling Haaland still out injured.

Kevin de Bruyne got things under way with his first header in 68 Premier League goals, a magnificent airborne effort, while Phil Foden added two before half-time.

Arsenal have responded well to suggestions they were slipping with wins at Wolverhampton Wanderers and at home to Chelsea - but City just have that end of season "look" about them once more.

Image source, Getty Images

Simon Bajkowski, Manchester City writer for the Manchester Evening News, sees few obstacles in the way of Pep Guardiola's side after they thrashed Brighton 4-0 on Thursday night.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast, he said City's performance suggested they are finding their highest levels at just the right time.

"It was a level of dominance from City that we haven't seen in a while," he said. "It was seen as a game where they could slip up. Guardiola said beforehand it was probably one of the toughest games of the ones that they have left.

"In the first half, they overwhelmed Brighton completely. It was the complete opposite of the performance on Saturday at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-final. They were just full of energy, sharp, precise and dominant."

Phil Foden scored his 50th and 51st league goals as City moved one point behind leaders Arsenal with a game in hand.

"Obviously they went out of the Champions League against Real Madrid - they just kind of didn't do enough and then in the FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea, they looked really tired," Bajkowski continued.

"The question going into the Brighton game was whether City would be able to keep up or run out of steam. I think the performance against Brighton answered a lot of questions and if City can get through Sunday against Nottingham Forest then they will really be strong favourites to win it again."

We asked for your views on Manchester City's 4-0 win over Brighton in the Premier League on Thursday.

Here are some of your answers:

Brighton fans

Charlie: Brighton were OK at the start of the season, but I get the feeling De Zerbi has given up. He cannot take Brighton any further and that is felt in the players, and him never picking the same team twice. Yet another goal given away trying to play out. Totally outclassed.

Raymond: Still punching above our weight due to injuries, but many players are not Premier League quality. Man City are a cut above.

JJ: The end of the season can not come soon enough. It is painful to watch our slow passing in our own box versus a team of City’s quality. If De Zerbi wants to stay we should back him, if not we need to move on very quickly and plan for next season.

Matthew: Brighton are in relegation form and no signs point to that changing come next season (bar a miraculous recruitment drive). With the loss of more key players to bigger clubs like Mitoma, possibly Joao Pedro, Estupinan and Gross, then one wonders how thin Brighton’s squad will be next year.

Graham: Pathetic! Their insistence on playing back to the keeper was sheer insanity! Put themselves under unnecessary pressure and led to their downfall. The goalkeeper had more touches in the first 15 minutes than the rest of the team. If teams are going to make it this easy for City, you may as well hand over the trophy now!

Manchester City fans

Peter: Great performance by the whole City team. The result was never in doubt after De Bruyne’s brilliant header. This team set about the task with determination and they are now serious contenders to win four titles in a row. Brighton are a selling club so will always be a mid-table team and they offered very little.

Scott: A really good performance against a lacklustre Brighton. I have to say, we did get away with two penalties, and the Foden free-kick was a slip - not a foul. I would not be surprised if Foden wins the PFA Players' Award this year. On to the next game, keep playing well and our fate is in our own hands.

Michael: Comprehensive. I was there and at no point were Brighton a threat. City dominated and always had the game under control. The crowd did not like Foden but both he and De Bruyne pulled the strings.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie Redknapp discussing Manchester City's 4-0 win at Brighton on Sky Sports: "Why I admire Manchester City so much is what Pep has created with his team, which is one of the hardest things in the world.

"How do you make multi-millionaires run, and run hard when you haven't got the ball?

"It's not just all about playing out from the back and that side of the game. That's why I love Man City. It's relentless.

"Manchester City are so hard to press. Not only do they outnumber you but they also have the goalkeeper who can hit passes like that [to Kyle Walker in the build-up to the fourth goal].

"Ederson makes you press-resistant. When you have got that asset, when you are under pressure, that is like Kevin de Bruyne."

Former Manchester City and Arsenal defender Gael Clichy on Sky Sports added: "You work so hard to achieve and they made history last year. But if City can get that fourth trophy in a row, it will take them somewhere else.

"But also I think Arsenal deserve it, with young players and the goals they score. They would be a perfect champion."

Manchester City have been made aware that Newcastle United will listen to offers in excess of £80m for 26-year-old Brazil midfielder Bruno Guimaraes this summer. (90min), external

Guimaraes' £100m release clause will only be active for one month, from late May to late June. (Fabrizio Romano, via Caught Offside), external

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