Pep Guardiola makes BIZARRE claim as to why Man City’s title bid is still on track after 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest… as he admits his side rode their luck at the City Ground

• Erling Haaland came off the bench to score his 21st goal of the season
• Manchester City moved one point behind leaders Arsenal with their victory 
• Phil Foden reveals what it’s REALLY like to play for Pep Guardiola in an It’s All Kicking Off special. Listen on Spotify, Apple or anywhere you get your podcasts 

Pep Guardiola admitted Manchester City rode their luck as he bizarrely claimed their title bid remains on track because of the City Ground pitch.

In Guardiola’s 300th Premier League game, City were well below their best and had it not been for two bad misses from Chris Wood they may have slipped up.

But goals in either half from Josko Gvardiol and Erling Haaland means City remain a point behind Arsenal with a game in hand, though goalkeeper Ederson suffered a first-half shoulder injury that Guardiola said ‘doesn’t look good’.

The City boss said: ‘We were so lucky the pitch was dry and hard. With better pitch conditions they would have scored.

‘There was nothing wrong with it but the fact it was dry helped us. We were lucky because with the chances they had, they could not make good contact with the ball because of the pitch. This game was dangerous – the toss of a coin.’

The visitors struggled for clear-cut chances early on in the game, with Gvardiol’s header coming on 32 minutes from a corner to break the deadlock. 

The Croatia international got across his man at the front post and directed it in at the near post from an impressive angle. 

Haaland – who had only scored twice since March 3 in the league – then entered the fray from the bench to devastating impact. 

His 21st of the season takes him above Cole Palmer in the race to win the Golden Boot, having stormed to the award last term.