It might be too early to start talking about an on-field crisis at Manchester City even though it fell to a third straight Premier League defeat on Saturday.
City coach Enzo Maresca was certainly not panicking.
Recommended Videos
After opening the campaign with seven wins in a row, City lost at struggler Nottingham Forest 3-1 to fall six points behind league leader Arsenal after the defending champion beat Hull 1-0.
“We are conceding too many goals unfortunately and we need to improve that," Maresca told the BBC.
"Use the international break to understand why and try to avoid in the future. Always concerned but we need balance — seven wins in a row then three (defeats) in a row. Need the balance. No panic. We need to understand but no panic.”
Liam Delap, a City academy graduate, netted two goals for Forest — which had yet to score at home this season coming into the match.
It was only a second win of the season for Forest, which moved two points out of the relegation zone — with Manchester United taking its place in the bottom three ahead of Sunday’s match against Aston Villa.
Forest got off to a dream start.
Jair Cunha caught City defender Josko Gvardiol in possession and he surged forward, finding a gap to slide the ball into the bottom left corner and give his team the lead in the sixth minute.
More defensive mishaps from City, which again lost the ball, allowed Delap to sprint from inside his own half and between two defenders before firing into the back of the net to double Forest’s advantage in the 18th.
City managed to get one back early in the second half. Jeremy Doku latched onto a long ball over the top on the left flank and his cross was deflected into the path of Rayan Cherki, who drove it into the top left corner.
City was pushing hard for the equalizer but Forest restored its two-goal advantage in the 74th, with Delap finishing off a rapid counterattack with a fine shot that went in off the inside of the far post.
Forest coach Oliver Glasner sprinted half the length of the field to celebrate with his players.
“One of my best running stats, I guess," Glasner told the BBC. "I will be fatigued tomorrow but I can be because it’s the international break so I can have a rest!”
Defending champ grinds out narrow win
Earlier, it seemed as if Arsenal was in for a frustrating day, with things not clicking against a well-organized Hull, before Martin Ødegaard found a way through in the 72nd minute.
Noni Madueke cut in from the right wing and Konstantinos Tzolakis managed to parry his effort but not nearly far enough and the captain was there to slam home the loose ball.
Controversy at Leeds
Substitute Noah Okafor had been on the field for only 97 seconds when he scored to send Leeds to a 1-0 victory over Tottenham in a match marked by controversy.
A throw-in was headed on by Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Harry Wilson pushed the ball into Okafor’s path to drive home in the 79th.
It was Leeds’ first victory in almost two months and lifted the team into eighth, two points above Spurs — who were looking for their fourth straight win after none from their first six matches.
Tottenham will feel Leeds should have played the second half with 10 men after a nasty challenge by Jayden Bogle on Mathys Tel in the 34th. It wasn’t malicious but the late tackle saw Bogle’s studs land on the trailing ankle of Tel, leaving the Tottenham forward writhing in agony.
A long VAR check for a possible red card for Bogle ended with no action deemed necessary. Tel tried to continue but came off a few minutes later.
Newcastle drew at Fulham 1-1.
No FA Cup fairytale again for Macclesfield
There will be no repeat of Macclesfield’s heroics in the FA Cup this season as the team lost at Mansfield 3-0 in the first round.
Non-league Macclesfield pulled off the biggest upset in the history of the competition last campaign when knocking out holder Crystal Palace.
___