MANCHESTER: Manchester City failed to ease fears of missing out on the Champions League next season after twice blowing the lead to draw 2-2 against Brighton and Hove Albion, while third-placed Nottingham Forest thrashed relegation-threatened Ipswich Town 4-2 on Saturday.

Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush put City in front, but high-flying Brighton extended their unbeaten run to seven games thanks to Pervis Estupinan`s free-kick and an Abdukodir Khusanov own goal.

City boss Pep Guardiola said on Friday that just reaching the Champions League next season would be a `big success` after a difficult season for a side used to lifting the league title.

The English champions` early exit from Europe`s top competition to Real Madrid had at least ensured a full week`s preparation for Guardiola`s men to bounce back from last weekend`s dismal 1-0 defeat at Forest.

Marmoush was restored to the starting line-up and proved to be City`s brightest spark going forward.

Haaland struck from the penalty spot in the lith minute with his 29th goal of the season after Marmoush was brought down by Adam Webster.

City`s lead lasted only 10 minutes as Estupinan curled a free-kick in off the post past the leaden-footed Stefan Ortega in the City goal.

City reclaimed the lead through Marmoush`s 39th-minute goal, with Ilkay Gundogan laying the ball off for the Egyptian who unleashed a blistering shot into the net.

Brighton, though, took just three minutes into the second half to level again when Jack Hinshelwood`s shot was turned into his own net by Khusanov.

Nico Gonzalez hit the post as City pushed in vain for a winner.

A top-five Premier League finish will almost certainly secure a Champions League place this season thanks to English clubs` strong performances in European competition.

A point leaves City still in fifth on 48 points after 29 games, just one point ahead of Brighton in seventh.

Meanwhile, Forest`s charge towards Europe`s top club competition for the first time since 1980 continued with a dominant display at Portman Road.

The visitors struck three times in six first-half minutes to remain in third place on 54 points, five ahead of fourthplaced Chelsea, who have a game in hand and face second-placed Arsenal on Sunday.

Nikola Milenkovic controlled a loose ball inside the area and blasted in on off the underside of the bar to open the floodgates.

Anthony Elanga then drilled in his first goal since Boxing Day at the end of a blistering Forest counter-attack.

Two minutes later Elanga took advantage of dreadful Ipswich defending to sprint clear and slot in his second of the afternoon.

Jens Cajuste scored to briefly give home fans hope in the 82nd minute but substitute Jota Silva added Forest`s fourth before George Hirst claimed a consolation goal for Ipswich in added time.

Ipswich`s uphill task to beat the drop suffered another blow as Wolverhampton Wanderers pulled nine points clear of the bottom three with a 2-1 victory at bottom side Southampton.

Jorgen Strand Larsen took on the goalscoring burden for Wolves in the absence of the suspended Matheus Cunha by powering in a header on 19 minutes from Jean-Ricner Bellegarde`s cross.

The Wolves pair combined again two minutes into the second half when Bellegarde found Strand Larsen after they won back the ball in midfield and the Norwegian forward pulled the trigger to find the bottom left corner once again.

Paul Onuachu pulled a goal back but Southampton remain on course to post the worst ever points tally in Premier League history.

Elsewhere, Everton extended their unbeaten run to nine games thanks to Jake O`Brien`s 90th-minute equaliser in a 1-1 draw against West Ham United.

Czech midfielder Tomas Soucek put the Hammers ahead in the 67th, curling the ball into the bottom-right corner after a pass from Jarrod Bowen.

O`Brien rescued the home side`s run from close range in the 90th after Everton had a first-half penalty decision overruled by VAR when a replay showed Beto had kicked the turf rather than being fouled.

The draw left both sides level on 34 points and with little left to play for other than bragging rights, seemingly safe from relegation but far from any prospect of Europe.-Agencies