Manchester City maintained their perfect Premier League record this season with an ill-tempered 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest at the Etihad Stadium.

Goals from Phil Foden and Erling Haaland inside the first quarter of an hour put Pep Guardiola's team in total control before Steve Cooper's side had established any foothold in the game. The home side never quite relinquished their grip despite Rodri being sent off 27 seconds into the second half.

Nottingham Forest have shown themselves to be a potent force on the counter-attack away from home this season, going two goals up against Manchester United at Old Trafford and defeating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The Premier League champions proved a different proposition.

Forest had barely touched the ball when Rodri found Kyle Walker with a delightful pass in behind the flailing Nuno Tavares in the seventh minute and the full-back found Foden with an unselfish cushioned volley. The finish was emphatic, capping a move that featured 46 passes.

Guardiola appeared agitated on the rare occasions that City surrendered possession in the first half and was cautioned for his complaints but it had appeared to be a straightforward afternoon until Rodri's inexplicable decision to shove Morgan Gibbs-White near the neck.

"Hopefully, Rodri will learn," said Guardiola.

"Rodri has to control himself and his emotion. That is what he has to do. I can get a yellow card, Rodri cannot get a yellow card because they are inside the pitch.

"I said at half-time, 'Be careful, guys. Be careful'. Unfortunately, we could not do it. Rodri could not do it."

Asked if Rodri, described by his manager as the best holding midfielder in the world earlier in the week, had let him down, Guardiola replied: "Yeah. I don't like to play with 10 because it is our fault."