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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola maintains there is a lot to fight for in the title race despite his side losing further ground to Arsenal on Wednesday night.
City’s winning run came to an end at six games across all competitions as two moments of brilliance from Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson rescued a 2-2 draw for Nottingham Forest at the Etihad Stadium.
Arsenal, on the other hand, picked up their third Premier League win in a row courtesy of an early Bukayo Saka strike against Brighton and Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium.
The Gunners stand seven points clear of City and despite playing an extra game, Mikel Arteta and co are firmly in the driving seat in the title race and will be confident of winning a first Premier League title in 22 years for Arsenal.
Where do City’s title chances stand after drawing to Forest?
Manchester City made a poor start to 2026 that saw doubts circle over their silverware prospects in January but after turning a corner in February, there was renewed hope of another potential title hijack from the Etihad Stadium.
However, City’s chances of usurping Arsenal look bleak and Guardiola knows his side can only control their own results and hope for a slip-up from the north Londoners after their latest set of dropped points against Nottingham Forest.
“Disappointed for the result. We did everything, again,” Guardiola said in a post-match interview with TNT Sports. “We didn’t concede much and we had chances, at the end especially, but during the game as well. But yeah, (we will) keep going.”
On whether he is expecting further twists and turns in the title race, Guardiola added: “There are a lot of games to play so we have to continue.”
What did Guardiola make of Manchester City’s penalty claims against Forest?
Manchester City had two major shouts for a penalty waved away by referee Darren England against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday, prompting strong criticism from club captain Bernardo Silva for officiating decisions repeatedly going against the Blues this term.
However, Guardiola took a more pragmatic approach to his verdict on the denied penalties. “Nothing to say,” the Catalan said to TNT Sports on the penalty shouts that went against Manchester City against Forest.
Adding on the subject in his post-match press conference, the 55-year-old said: “Always I believe we have to do much better, much better to not make interventions from officials.
“Otherwise, we don’t have anything. It’s our responsibility to do better. If you have to rely on them with what happened this season, it’s impossible. Nothing more to say.”
How do Manchester City pick themselves up to go again?
Guardiola was not overly critical of his side’s performance against Forest – in fact, the Manchester City manager liked certain aspects of what his players put on show against Vitor Pereira’s men.
“In general, it was a good performance,” Guardiola said in his press conference. “Many, many good things. And of course, we have things we can improve in some departments. But in general, really good.”
On whether it would be difficult for Manchester City to pick themselves up again after their latest setback, Guardiola said in a defiant tone: “Are you sure? Okay…”
Guardiola and his players don’t have the luxury of time to dwell upon Wednesday’s disappointment as they quickly switch their focus to Saturday night’s FA Cup fifth round tie against Newcastle United at St. James’ Park.
Report – Inter Milan Captain Returns To Partial Training As He Aims To Recover For Fiorentina Clash
Inter Milan superstar Lautaro Martinez has reportedly resumed partial training as he aims to return to the pitch by the end of the month.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport via FCInterNews, El Toro has set his sights on recovering for Inter’s Serie A clash against Fiorentina on March 22.
Head coach Cristian Chivu will be without his talismanic goal-getter for Sunday’s blockbuster showdown against AC Milan.
On the bright side, Ange-Yoan Bonny will be at the 45-year-old’s disposal, with the Frenchman expected to resume training tomorrow.
Inter Milan Stalwart Lautaro Martinez Returns to Partial Training
UDINE, ITALY – JANUARY 17: Lautaro Martinez of FC Internazionale during the pre-match warm up at the Serie A match between Udinese Calcio and FC Internazionale at Stadio Friuli on January 17, 2026 in Udine, Italy. (Photo by Timothy Rogers/Getty Images)
Inter lost Lautaro Martinez to a calf injury in the first leg of their fateful UEFA Champions League knockout playoff tie against Bodo/Glimt.
As a result of the injury sustained in Norway, the 28-year-old missed the return fixture, as well as Inter’s last two Serie A matches.
Furthermore, the Argentine center-forward was unavailable as Inter shared the spoils with Como in a tepid 0-0 Coppa Italia draw on Tuesday.
However, he has now returned to partial training and could appear in Inter’s away game against Fiorentina later this month.
Fact Check: Will Sanju Samson miss T20 World Cup semi-final vs England over a possible ban?
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The moment came at the end of a tense chase when Samson sealed India’s victory with a boundary. As the ball raced away, the right-handed batter removed his helmet and dropped it onto the ground before falling to his knees and offering a prayer. The emotional celebration quickly went viral, with some observers suggesting the act might fall under the International Cricket Council’s Code of Conduct related to equipment abuse.
Sanju Samson's possible ban: What do the ICC rules say?
A closer look at the rules suggests that the fears of a suspension are largely misplaced. Under Article 2.2 of the ICC Code of Conduct, players can be penalised for “abuse of cricket equipment,” which includes actions such as throwing or striking items like helmets, bats, or stumps in frustration. The rule also covers deliberate damage to advertising boards, boundary fences, or dressing room fixtures.
Even if Samson’s act were to be reviewed under this provision, it would most likely fall under a Level 1 offence — the lowest category of disciplinary breaches. Level 1 incidents typically attract fines or demerit points rather than suspensions.
Former international umpire Anil Chaudhary also dismissed the speculation, explaining that Samson’s gesture appeared to be an emotional celebration rather than an act of anger or protest. According to him, such moments are common in high-pressure matches and are rarely treated as serious offences.
Recent examples support this interpretation. Scotland’s George Munsey received only one demerit point earlier in the tournament after throwing his helmet in frustration following his dismissal.
As things stand, there has been no official charge or complaint against Samson from match officials. India are scheduled to face England in the semi-final at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 5, and the wicketkeeper-batter remains fully eligible to play.
Bengals' 'perfect free agent' might be future Hall of Famer
The Cincinnati Bengals are set to lose one veteran edge rusher to free agency, as Trey Hendrickson effectively said goodbye to Cincinnati Tuesday after the team chose not to use the franchise tag on him, allowing him to hit the open market next week.
Could they bring in another veteran edge rusher in his place? Bleacher Report seems to think so. In their recent list of "Perfect Free Agent Signings for Each Team", the Bengals land veteran pass-rusher Khalil Mack:
"The Bengals could lose both Trey Hendrickson and Joseph Ossai in free agency. Hendrickson could be the top free agent on a lot of boards and Ossai is in his prime so he'll be looking for a lengthy extension.
Cincinnati is somewhat prepared for the losses. With Shemar Stewart and Myles Murphy on the roster, they have young players ready to take on larger roles. Khalil Mack would be the ideal mentor to target for them. He's 35, but he was still an excellent edge-setter with a 14.8 pressure rate last season."
Mack just turned 35 in February. He is four years older than Hendrickson. The thought makes sense, as the Bengals will need to fill their depth on the edge, especially if Joseph Ossai also leaves. But Mack is in a spot now where he'll likely sign with a contender. He signed a one-year, $18 million deal last season with the Los Angeles Chargers, a team many thought would contend in the AFC West and potentially make a run in the playoffs before losing to the New England Patriots in the AFC Wild Card.
The Bengals are hoping to get back into contention this season, but it's fair to think there is still plenty of work to do for a team that only won six games in 2025. Would a player like Mack, who has never played in a Super Bowl, want to take that risk over signing with a team that has a better chance of making a run?
Mack would be a very interesting signing, to say the least, even with the Bengals expected to be very active in free agency.
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals free agency: 'Perfect' target might be Chargers' Khalil Mack