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Nottingham Forest earned a crucial 2-2 draw against Manchester City, boosting their Premier League survival hopes after twice coming from behind at the Etihad Stadium. Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson cancelled out goals from Antoine Semenyo and Rodri, as both teams missed clear chances to win deep into stoppage time.

The point leaves Nottingham Forest just above the Premier League relegation zone on goal difference after West Ham defeated Fulham. Forest are still without a league win in six matches, yet this result against the defending champions offers a lift for players, staff and supporters during a tense run-in.

Forest’s improvement in away matches against leading teams stands out. Between January 1995 and September 2023, Forest lost eight straight away games against sides starting the day in the Premier League’s top two. Now they are unbeaten in the last two such fixtures, having also beaten Liverpool at Anfield in September 2024.

The contest in Manchester swung several times. Semenyo opened the scoring, before Gibbs-White levelled with a clever backheel. Rodri restored City’s lead, only for Anderson to curl in another equaliser. Late drama followed, with Ryan Yates heading wide and Morato blocking on the goal-line to prevent Savinho scoring.

Anderson highlighted how the draw could influence belief inside the Nottingham Forest dressing room during the Premier League run-in. The midfielder underlined the effort needed against City and described the result as vital for maintaining momentum in a season dominated by a relegation fight.

“It was massive. Obviously, we’ve had a bit of a poor run, but we knew coming here that we had to fight and work hard because they’re a top side,” he told TNT Sports. “We dug out a point from being behind, and we’re really happy. It just keeps us pushing. We’ve got such a team spirit, and it’s just unfortunate we haven’t had the results. I can’t fault the effort of the lads, to be honest, and I thought we fought really well. We’ve got a few days off after a lot of games, so we can relax before we get back on the pitch and working and trying to pick up more points in this battle.”

Nottingham Forest Premier League tactics under Vitor Pereira

Head coach Vitor Pereira is yet to record a Premier League victory this season, spanning 13 matches across two clubs. Pereira’s combined record with Wolves and Nottingham Forest now stands at three draws and ten defeats, yet Pereira continues to stress organisation, courage on the ball and character within the squad.

Forest’s tactical switch after the break changed the match pattern. City produced 14 shots overall, but Forest limited clear chances in the second half and scored with both of their attempts on target. Pereira encouraged players to move from a cautious shape into a more assertive approach once spaces appeared.

“I’m very proud of my players and supporters,” Pereira told BBC Match of the Day. “We came to play our game, try and be organised, waiting for the time to attack, and we did well. We scored two fantastic goals. We competed for the points, trying to win the game. They tried to win the game. We had a good spirit; we need that for the next games. [At half-time], I told them to understand the spaces they [City] were conceding to us. To take the ball from the pressure and find the spaces. And risk a bit, take risks, football is not just about organisation, it’s about talent and feeling confident to express themselves. We don’t need just talent, but characters. They have spirit. Together we can do it [avoid relegation]. First half was more conservative, good organisation, try to be compact, wait for the moment to go and counter. But that isn’t enough, just to defend and counter isn’t enough, you have to have ball. That’s what I asked for the second half, quality to play with ball, not just without ball. What we proved was each game is an opportunity to get points. I don’t care if it’s City away, another club away or another club at home. We can’t decide that this game is not possible to get points. We must go with mentality that we can get win.”

Nottingham Forest Premier League context and key numbers

Forest’s current situation blends concern with renewed optimism. The team are winless in six league fixtures, yet remain outside the bottom three. Pereira argues that every remaining match, regardless of opponent or venue, offers a chance to collect vital points in the quest to stay up.

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Despite the difficult run, Forest’s display against City showed the side can compete with high-ranking opponents when combining defensive structure with quality on the ball. The draw, Anderson’s impact and Pereira’s belief now frame the final stretch of Nottingham Forest’s Premier League survival battle.

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