Aina, Awoniyi in Action as Forest Condemn City to Ninth Defeat

*Salah’s brace shoots Liverpool 16 points clear at the top

Duro Ikhazuagbe  with agency report

Both Ola Aina and Taiwo Awoniyi were in action yesterday as Callum Hudson-Odoi scored late in the second half to earn Nottingham Forest a crucial 1-0 Premier League victory over fellow Champions League hopefuls Manchester City at the City Ground.

While Aina was in action for all 90 minutes duration of the game, Awoniyi had a cameo appearance for Forest, coming on as a 87th replacement for Chris Wood.

With seven minutes of an otherwise uneventful contest remaining, Hudson-Odoi collected a magnificent Morgan Gibbs-White pass in his stride before beating City goalkeeper Ederson at his near post to send the home fans into ecstasy.

In a game billed as crucial in the race to earn a spot in Europe’s premier club competition next season, City had the better opportunities before the interval but lacked the pace or ingenuity to breach the home side’s dogged defence.

A powerful Nico Gonzalez effort which flew narrowly wide of Matz Sels’ right-hand post was the high point of a drab first half, and there were few signs of improvement early in the second period despite Forest’s greater urgency.

After Nico Dominguez volleyed an Anthony Elanga cross straight at Ederson within seconds of the restart, Hudson-Odoi had a low effort tipped on to the post by the Brazilian midway through the second half.

Pep Guardiola introduced Kevin de Bruyne and Omar Marmoush with 20 minutes remaining but there was little in the way of goalmouth action in the latter stages until Hudson-Odoi’s moment of inspiration.

Guardiola and his players can have few complaints with the outcome as they slipped to a ninth league defeat of a tumultuous season – their joint-most in a single campaign under the Spaniard.

Third-placed Forest move four points clear of City, who stay fourth but could be overtaken by Chelsea if the Blues beat struggling Leicester City on Sunday.

Elsewhere, Mohamed Salah scored two penalties as Liverpool came from behind to beat rock-bottom Southampton 3-1 for the second time this season and move 16 points clear at the top of the Premier League.

The Reds were miles below their best after their energy-draining late win at Paris St-Germain on Wednesday – but all that matters at this stage of the season is results.

This takes them one step closer to the title and leaves Saints still in danger of the lowest Premier League points total ever.

The visitors allowed themselves to dream when Will Smallbone took advantage of a huge mix-up between Virgil van Dijk and Alisson to slot in from a tight angle.

But Reds boss Arne Slot made a triple substitution at half-time and Liverpool were much improved. Darwin Nunez, perhaps fortunate not to be one of the ones replaced at the break, slotted in from Luis Diaz’s cutback.

And then the Uruguayan striker was fouled by Smallbone for a penalty, which Mohamed Salah predictably dispatched with style.

Liverpool fans started singing “now you’re going to believe us, we’re going to win the league” after that. Salah also netted another spot-kick late on, for his 27th goal of the season, after the video assistant referee spotted a Yukinari Sugawara handball.

Second-placed Arsenal have two games in hand – including today’s match with Manchester United.