Nottingham Forest Stun Manchester City 3-1 as Arsenal Go Six Points Clear in the Premier League

Saturday 7 November 2026 was one of the most dramatic days of the Premier League season so far. Nottingham Forest beat Manchester City 3-1 at the City Ground, handing the champions’ rivals a third defeat in a row. Earlier in the day, Arsenal beat Hull City 1-0 to move six points clear at the top of the table.

There were four matches on Saturday, and each one told its own story. Leeds United ended Tottenham’s winning run, and Fulham grabbed a late draw against Newcastle United. By the end of the day, the title race looked very different — and Manchester United had slipped into the relegation zone without even playing.

Here is everything that happened, and what it all means.

Nottingham Forest 3-1 Manchester City: the shock of the season

The biggest result of the day came in the late kick-off at the City Ground, where Nottingham Forest stunned Manchester City 3-1.

Forest flew out of the blocks. They were 2-0 up after just 18 minutes, with goals from defender Jair Cunha and striker Liam Delap. The home crowd could hardly believe it: the team that started the day near the bottom of the table was two goals ahead of one of the best teams in the world.

City fought back after half-time. Rayan Cherki scored in the 52nd minute to make it 2-1, and for a while it looked as though the champions would find a way back into the game, as they have done so many times before.

But Forest held firm, and Delap scored his second goal of the game in the 73rd minute to make it 3-1. That was the end of City’s hopes, and the City Ground erupted.

The defeat was Manchester City’s third Premier League loss in a row — a run of form almost unheard of for a team that has dominated English football in recent years. City now sit six points behind leaders Arsenal, and their title challenge is starting to look shaky.

For Forest, the win was just as important at the other end of the table. The three points lifted them out of the relegation zone. Beating the champions in front of their own fans is the kind of result that can change a whole season.

Arsenal 1-0 Hull City: patient champions-elect

Arsenal had set the tone earlier in the afternoon with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Hull City at the Emirates Stadium.

For more than an hour, Hull refused to break. The visitors defended deep, closed down the space, and frustrated Arsenal’s attackers. It was the kind of game that title-winning teams have to find a way to win — and Arsenal did.

The breakthrough came in the 72nd minute. Noni Madueke cut inside and fired in a shot that Hull goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis could only spill, and captain Martin Odegaard was there to fire home from close range.

It was Arsenal’s ninth win in ten league games this season, and their third 1-0 league win in four games. That last fact says a lot about this Arsenal team: they are not blowing teams away every week, but they keep finding a way to win, even when the game is tight and the goals are hard to come by.

The win kept Arsenal at the top of the table, and after City’s defeat later in the day, their lead stretched to six points.

Leeds United 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur: Spurs’ run comes to an end

The day began at Elland Road, where Leeds United beat Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 in the early kick-off.

The match was settled in the 79th minute, when substitute Noah Okafor scored the only goal of the game. It was a late blow for Tottenham, whose three-match winning run came to an end.

There was also controversy around the officials’ decisions during the match, with Tottenham unhappy about a VAR call. But Leeds will not care about that. For a team that came into the season expected to fight relegation, beating a side in the hunt for the top four is a huge result.

Tottenham’s defeat, combined with the other results, leaves them with work to do if they want to keep pace with the teams at the top.

Fulham 1-1 Newcastle United: late drama at Craven Cottage

The fourth match of the day, between Fulham and Newcastle United at Craven Cottage, looked as though it would end in a Newcastle win — until the final minutes.

Jacob Murphy put Newcastle ahead in the 80th minute with a spectacular strike, and it seemed the visitors had done enough to take all three points.

But Fulham hit back almost immediately. Just three minutes later, substitute Rodrigo Muniz levelled the score at 1-1, and that is how it finished.

It was a frustrating result for Newcastle, who had a much-needed win within their grasp for only a few minutes. For Fulham, the late equaliser felt like a win — and it kept their solid home record going.

What the results mean for the title race

After ten rounds of matches, the Premier League table has a clear shape at the top.

Arsenal are the leaders, with nine wins from ten games. They have built their position on a mix of attacking quality and defensive discipline — and, just as importantly, on winning tight games like the one against Hull. Champions are often decided not by the big wins, but by the afternoons when a team grinds out three points from a match that could easily have ended in a draw.

Manchester City, the team most people expected to challenge Arsenal, are now six points behind after losing three games in a row. That is a big gap to close, even with most of the season still to play. City have the players and the experience to recover, but they need to stop the losing run quickly. Another defeat, and the gap could become very hard to bridge.

The other teams in the top four will also have taken note. Every dropped point by City is an opportunity for the chasing pack, and the title race is now more open than it looked a few weeks ago.

The relegation picture: Forest climb out, United slide in

The results also changed the picture at the bottom of the table.

Nottingham Forest’s win over City lifted them out of the relegation zone. It was a remarkable turnaround for a single afternoon: they started the day among the bottom three and ended it above the line, with one of the most famous wins in the club’s recent history.

The team that dropped into the bottom three as a result was Manchester United. United fell to 18th place without kicking a ball on Saturday, and they now face a home match against Aston Villa on Sunday knowing that anything less than a win would keep them in the relegation zone.

For a club of Manchester United’s size and history, being in the bottom three ten games into the season is a crisis. Sunday’s match has become one of the biggest games of their season already.

What happens next

The Premier League now pauses for the November international break, the last international break of 2026. League football returns on Saturday 21 November, which means teams have two weeks to regroup, recover injured players, and work on their problems on the training ground.

For Manchester City, the break comes at a good time: a chance to reset after three straight defeats. For Arsenal, it is a chance to enjoy being six points clear — and to make sure they come back just as sharp.

Before the break, though, there is still Sunday’s football to come, including Manchester United’s huge home game against Aston Villa. A win would lift United out of the relegation zone. A defeat would deepen the crisis — and pile even more pressure on everyone at the club.

Elsewhere in Europe on Saturday, Bayern Munich won 2-1 at Mainz in Germany, with Harry Kane — fresh from winning the Ballon d’Or — setting up both goals.

Frequently asked questions

What were the Premier League results on Saturday 7 November 2026?

Leeds United beat Tottenham Hotspur 1-0, Arsenal beat Hull City 1-0, Fulham drew 1-1 with Newcastle United, and Nottingham Forest beat Manchester City 3-1.

Who scored for Nottingham Forest against Manchester City?

Jair Cunha and Liam Delap scored to put Forest 2-0 up inside 18 minutes. Rayan Cherki pulled one back for City in the 52nd minute, before Delap scored his second in the 73rd minute to seal a 3-1 win.

How far ahead are Arsenal at the top?

Arsenal are six points clear at the top of the Premier League after their 1-0 win over Hull City and Manchester City’s 3-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest. Arsenal have won nine of their first ten league games.

Why have Manchester City lost three games in a row?

There is no single reason, but City’s defence has looked unusually open and their attack has not been as ruthless as usual. Losing three league games in a row is rare for City, and it has left them six points behind Arsenal.

Are Manchester United really in the relegation zone?

Yes. After Nottingham Forest’s win on Saturday, Manchester United dropped to 18th place in the table — inside the bottom three. They play Aston Villa at home on Sunday, and a win would lift them out of the relegation zone.

When does the Premier League return after the international break?

The November international break is the last one of 2026. Premier League football returns on Saturday 21 November.

Conclusion

Saturday was a reminder of why the Premier League is the most watched football league in the world. A team from the bottom of the table beat the champions 3-1. The leaders won a tight game with a captain’s goal. A substitute settled a match in the 79th minute, and another substitute rescued a draw three minutes after his team had fallen behind.

For Arsenal, it was a near-perfect day: three points, a clean sheet, and their closest rivals losing. For Manchester City, it was a warning: three defeats in a row, six points behind, and a title race that is slipping away from them.

And for Nottingham Forest, it was a day their fans will remember for years — the afternoon they beat Manchester City 3-1, climbed out of the relegation zone, and sent the whole league a message.

The international break now gives everyone time to breathe. But when the football returns on 21 November, the questions will still be there: can Arsenal hold their lead, can City recover, and can Manchester United climb out of trouble? Saturday’s results made all three questions a lot more interesting.

Sources

• USA Today, “Martin Odegaard goal saves Arsenal atop Premier League vs. Hull City”, 7 November 2026: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/epl/2026/11/07/arsenal-vs-hull-score-odegaard-goal-premier-league-standings/92660824007/
• USA Today, “Manchester City loses again, stunned by Nottingham Forest in Premier League”, 7 November 2026: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/epl/2026/11/07/manchester-city-nottingham-forest-premier-league/92661741007/
• Fox Sports Australia, “EPL 2026: Manchester City lose to Nottingham Forest to fall six points behind Arsenal”, 7 November 2026: https://www.foxsports.com.au/football/premier-league/epl-2026-manchester-city-lose-to-nottingham-forest-to-fall-six-points-behind-arsenal-who-defeated-hull-tottenham-lose-at-leeds-after-var-controversy-scores-results-latest-news-video/news-story/833d5dbad6b66b524c708c8eb959752b
• SoccerMag, “Premier League wrap: Forest sink City, Gunners go six points clear”, 7 November 2026: https://www.soccermag.com/tournaments/premier-league/premier-league-wrap-forest-sink-city-gunners-go-six-points-clear/
• Vanguard, “Arsenal edge past Hull to stretch Premier League lead”, 7 November 2026: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2026/11/arsenal-edge-past-hull-to-stretch-premier-league-lead/

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