Ruben Dias claims Nottingham Forest pitch affected Manchester City performance | OneFootball

Manchester City’s performance at the City Ground on Saturday afternoon was impacted by the standard of Nottingham Forest’s pitch, Ruben Dias has claimed.

A single goal from Callum Hudson-Odoi was enough to differentiate the two teams at the City Ground on Saturday afternoon, as the Nottingham Forest winger smashed an effort beyond Ederson at his near-post during a counter-attack.

Manchester City may feel as though they were largely stable throughout the course of the contest, but their inability to create too much at speed in the centre of the pitch ultimately proved costly, with Erling Haaland isolated for the most-part of the contest.

Pep Guardiola had little in the way of criticism for his team from a tactical perspective after the contest, and some players may take positives from the way they challenged given their recent struggles.

However, after the Manchester City manager had plenty to say about the FA Cup match ball and its impact on his side’s efforts against Plymouth Argyle last weekend, it was now the turn of one of his star players to find an excuse through environmental factors.

Speaking to the media after City’s narrow defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, the club’s vice-captain Ruben Dias was keen to point out the dryness of the City Ground playing surface and how that impacted the visitors’ performance.

“With the [Nottingham Forest] pitch dry it makes things a bit more difficult,” Dias told reporters after the contest.

He continued, “It was [the same] last season and at Fulham too. It depends on the weather as well and goodwill from everyone to make the game fast.”

Despite those struggles, Dias had plenty to say in the way of praise for his teammates and the overall standard of performance from the side at present, particularly given the blow inflicted by defeat at the City Ground.

“I felt the team was strong. Then all the little extras; not conceding, doing better in certain moments, trying to move the ball faster. All these details count,” said Dias.

“Obviously when you come from a circumstance when you’re used to winning and fighting for everything until the end, then it’s not easy to take when things are [like they are] now.

“But it’s our challenge and to fight for top four is our final of the Champions League, our winning of the Premier League for this season. It everything, from competitive mentality, everything to make sure every detail is covered.

“That’s the way you win without a doubt. It’s how we’ve won before and how we have to fight.”

Ruben Dias and his Manchester City teammates now have an entire free midweek to work on the elements of their performance that ultimately cost them at the City Ground during the weekend’s fixture list.

Brighton & Hove Albion are the next challenge and the final outing before the March international break, as Fabian Hurzeler’s side visit the Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon before a two-week pause commences for national team commitments.