Man City hold on after Rodri sent off for raising hands to Morgan Gibbs-White’s throat
Spanish midfielder’s dismissal forces Pep Guardiola to abandon much of what he holds dear
This was the kind of football Manchester City once knew: a deep-lying defence, goal-kicks launched up to Erling Haaland and on the touchline, Pep Guardiola beseeching the home fans to raise the intensity as the clock wound down and a lead had to be preserved.
Rodri’s sending off just 27 seconds into the second half had changed everything. Suddenly, with 45 minutes plus to defend two goals, and just 10 men to do it, City had to abandon a lot of what they hold dear. Guardiola substituted the flair of Julian Alvarez and Jeremy Doku. He switched to five at the back. He even brought on Kalvin Phillips. The English midfielder had played 13 minutes across two games previously this season but this time he got 40 minutes and his manager needed him.
For the champions of Europe, the champions of England, and holders of the FA Cup, life can be very easy. It feels that Guardiola only has to press play for this team to dominate all but a few opponents. They kept the ball for a sequence of 46 passes in the build-up to Phil Foden’s goal on seven minutes. Forest had barely touched it by the time Haaland got a second on 14 minutes. Their confidence eroding swiftly, there was little Forest could do in the first half but try to fill the gaps and hang on.
Rodri walks after his moment of madness Credit: PA/Martin Rickett
Which made Rodri’s dismissal all the more extraordinary, coming in such innocuous circumstances. Yet it did at least make for an interesting afternoon.
The game had barely restarted when Rodri went head-to-head with Morgan Gibbs-White over some slight or other and briefly raised his hands to the Forest man’s throat. It took Gibbs-White a moment to realise he had an opportunity and then to launch himself to the ground. Not quite a red card offence but worse than a booking. The Var Michael Salisbury saw no grounds for Anthony Taylor making a clear and obvious error.
What followed was an actual football match. Forest were permitted to have the ball at last, and so did City for periods. Ederson was ordered to bypass the Forest press by launching his goal-kicks at Haaland who was pushed almost to the edge of the penalty area. Steve Cooper switched from a five-man defence to bring on Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi. The home crowd made some noise. It was almost as if Guardiola had planned it all, just to see how his team might react.
The outcome was no different and City duly clocked up their sixth win from six. Haaland missed a glorious second half chance created by substitute Nathan Ake. Taiwo Awoniyi went head-to-head with Ederson after the latter had protested at his diving. Even with five key players injured, including Jack Grealish who came on as a late substitute, City had looked very comfortable with 11 men. Even Guardiola, for all his indignation at the referee’s decisions, seemed to enjoy it more with 10.
