Silva Blasts Referees as City's Title Hopes Take Another Hit in Forest Draw

Manchester City's grip on the Premier League title loosened further on Wednesday evening after they surrendered a lead to draw 2-2 with Nottingham Forest at the Etihad. The result proved particularly costly given that Arsenal's 1-0 victory over Brighton moved the Gunners closer to the summit.

Pep Guardiola's side twice found themselves ahead, courtesy of Antoine Semenyo and Rodri, only for the visitors to respond each time through Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson. The Forest comeback appeared to be complete when Anderson levelled in the closing stages, but the decisive moment came minutes earlier when City felt they should have been awarded a spot-kick.

With the scoreline at 2-1, Erling Haaland went down under a challenge from Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels. The incident went to VAR but no penalty was forthcoming, and Anderson's subsequent equaliser compounded City's frustration.

In the aftermath, Silva made his feelings clear about the standard of decision-making this campaign. The Portuguese midfielder suggested City had been on the wrong end of marginal calls throughout the season and questioned whether the officials were working against them.

"We are accustomed to this scenario this term," Silva reflected. "Every close decision has fallen our way negatively. The Erling situation – he was brought down by Matz Sels – that is a penalty in my view. What is he supposed to do differently? We have grown familiar with how things operate this season."

He added: "Our control extends only to our own standards. The referee's decisions lie beyond our influence. We must concentrate on what we can actually change – improving ourselves."

Guardiola, meanwhile, opted for a more measured response when quizzed on the penalty controversy, suggesting City's own performance level was the real issue rather than external factors.

"We must always play at a level that removes any doubt for those officiating," the City boss explained. "If we depend on their involvement, we place ourselves in an impossible position."

On the broader performance, Guardiola acknowledged City had been largely competitive for the full 90 minutes, though he identified areas requiring attention. He noted that Forest's deep defensive setup and direct approach presented particular challenges, yet praised his team's attacking fluidity.

"The quality was generally there," he reflected. "Forest sat deep and proved difficult to break down – they are a capable outfit – but we maintained our intensity and creativity. Perhaps we could have found Erling more often given his movement, but aside from that, it was respectable."

With Newcastle awaiting in the FA Cup, Guardiola's immediate focus has already shifted forward, though the dropped points represent a significant setback in the title race.