Guardiola’s team makes it 6 out of 6, but the Spaniard’s expulsion makes the victory more bitter. Draws between Crystal Palace-Fulham and Luton-Wolverhampton, United on the pitch at 9pm
– London
Another victory. City remain top with full points after the victory over Forest, made more bitter by the sending off which will keep Rodri out of the first direct clash with Arsenal on 8 October. Brentford-Everton is now on the pitch while the Premier League on Saturday ends at 9pm with Manchester United who will try to stave off the crisis at Burnely.
Manchester City-Nottingham Forest 2-0
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Six out of six. The victory over Forest which keeps Manchester City at the top with full points is only apparently ordinary, because it comes with a heavy loss: that of Rodri. The midfielder lost his temper 27 seconds into the second half, putting his hands around Morgan Gibbs-White’s neck after a tense confrontation. He deserves a direct red card, also confirmed by the VAR, which in English football means a 3-match suspension. The stoppage begins on Thursday in Newcastle in the Carabao Cup match and ends on 8 October in the first direct clash of the season with Arsenal. Rodri, the hero of the Champions League final, is one of the few truly irreplaceable players in City and his stop will force Guardiola to ask for help from the only player in the squad he doesn’t fully trust: Kalvin Phillips, a midfielder who in the last he started more matches for England than for the reigning champions. City had been perfect in the first half, tearing Forest apart in less than 15 minutes with Phil Foden (man of the match not only for his first goal of the season) and the usual goal from Haaland, who had already reached 8 league goals in the 2023-24. Forest played the game in the second half but showed their limits, losing after two consecutive useful results.
the match
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City takes control of the match in less than a quarter of an hour. In the 7th minute Foden took the lead, finishing with a goal an action that began with an illuminating throw from Rodri which Walker transformed into a splendid assist. In the 14th minute Haaland doubled the lead, heading home an assist from Nunes. City controlled without dominating for the rest of the first half, but Rodri’s sending off at the start of the second half changed everything. Guardiola rearranges the team with a 5-man defence, Cooper gets all his attacking players off the bench. Tempers remain high (Ederson also risks a red card for the champions after a clash with Awoniyi), but City’s wall holds up without too many problems.
Burnley v Manchester United at 9pm
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The Red Devils bring their long crisis of 3 defeats (with 10 goals conceded) to the home of newly promoted Burnley, where the Italian Luca Koleosho is making himself noticed, a starter in Vincent Kompany’s team who gained a point in the first 4 matches.
the others
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Luton Town gets their first point of the season but not their first Premier League win. At Kenilworth Road the freshman finished 1-1 with Wolverhampton, who also played in 10 for 39′ due to Bellegarde’s sending off. Morris responded to Neto’s lead at the start of the second half in the 65th minute with a penalty. The Wolves return to the top of the table after two defeats. No goals between Crystal Palace and Fulham: for both it is the second draw of the season which keeps them arm in arm at 8 points. Brentford-Everton at 6.30pm completes the Premier League Saturday programme. All the others will be on the pitch tomorrow: Arsenal-Tottenham big match at 3pm, Chelsea-Aston Villa, Liverpool-West Ham and Brighton-Bournemouth also on the pitch. At 5.30pm Tonali’s Newcastle closes at the home of newly promoted Sheffield United.
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