Manchester City kept up the pressure in the battle for the 2023-24 Premier League crown with a 2-0 win at Nottingham Forest on Sunday night.

Kicking off after rivals Arsenal beat Tottenham 3-2 in the North London derby, City – in Pep Guardiola’s 300th top-flight game in charge – saw off a spirited Forest courtesy of goals in each half from Josko Gvardiol and Erling Haaland.

Gvardiol headed City into an interval lead while substitute Haaland, returning to the side after three games out injured, made sure of the points with a clinical finish after the break.

The result ensured that City go into their final four matches just one point behind the Gunners but with a game in hand as the Blues look to win the title a record four successive seasons.

Forest came out of the blocks fast and with Mull of Kintyre ringing in their ears, they could have gone ahead inside the first minute but Neco Williams fluffed a shot at the far post on 34 seconds under pressure from Josko Gvardiol.

Kevin De Bruyne, a welcome sight in the side after a prolonged spell out of action at season start, had City’s first meaningful opportunity on eight minutes. Rodrigo picked the pocket of Morgan Gibbs-White deep in opposition territory before laying off to Jack Grealish who, in turn, fed KDB on the left. The marauding midfielder’s shot was well parried clear by Matz Sels in the Forest goal.