League leaders Arsenal made it three Premier League wins in a row with a 1-0 away win over Brighton & Hove Albion on Matchday 29, extending their lead over Manchester City to seven points, who drew 2-2 at home to Nottingham Forest
While City have a game in hand and the two teams still have to face each other on April 19, the slip-up at the Etihad could weigh heavily in the final stretch of the championship.
Arsenal strike first and hold on
In Brighton, the Gunners settled the game early on. After nine minutes, Bukayo Saka, captain in the absence of the injured Martin Odegaard, fired a powerful shot from the edge of the area.
The ball took a slight deflection off Cameroon’s Carlos Baleba, just enough to wrong-foot Dutch goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen.
That goal was enough. Arsenal managed the narrow lead with expertise and picked up three points to move on to 67 points, dreaming of their first league title since 2004. In addition, the London side came into the game on the back of derby victories over Tottenham and Chelsea.
City drop key points
In parallel, Manchester City missed a golden opportunity. Guardiola’s side started well and took the lead in the 31st minute with a goal from Antoine Semenyo, assisted by France’s Rayan Cherki.
However, Forest reacted. In the 56th minute, Morgan Gibbs-White equalised with a shot that went through the legs of Ruben Dias and surprised goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
In a corner kick, the Spaniard Rodri restored the lead for the Sky Blues in the 62nd minute. But the controversy and the psychological blow came in the 76th minute, when Elliot Anderson scored the final 2-2.
The 90+9 move that could define the season
With time running out, City threw themselves into attack in search of a win that would keep them within reach of Arsenal. In the 90th minute, a move inside the area ended with a shot that seemed destined for the net, but Brazilian defender Murillo saved on the line, preventing the home side from winning.
The big controversy came when, in the last play of the game, Erling Haaland appeared galloping inside the opponent’s area and goalkeeper Selz brought him down without trying to get the ball. However, the central referee not only did not award the penalty, but also did not go to review the play in the VAR.
That intervention could end up being decisive in the title race. The draw leaves City on 60 points, seven behind the leaders, although with a game in hand.
The race for the Premier League title is entering its final stages and the direct duel on April 19 promises to be a real final. But if Arsenal hold their nerve, that stoppage-time play could be remembered as the moment City let the title slip away.
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