Manchester City extended their remarkable winning streak across all competitions to eight games with a gritty 2-1 triumph over a resilient Nottingham Forest at The City Ground on Saturday. The victory propelled Pep Guardiola's side to the provisional top spot in the Premier League table.
Stalemate and Struggle in First Half
The opening period was a story of dominance without penetration. Manchester City controlled the vast majority of possession but found it incredibly difficult to unlock Forest's well-organised and compact defensive block. Star striker Erling Haaland was often left isolated with minimal service, while Forest's best opportunity fell to Morgan Gibbs-White, who could not direct Callum Hudson-Odoi's dangerous cross on target.
Cherki Inspires City's Second-Half Breakthrough
The deadlock was broken just three minutes after the restart. The creative spark came from French midfielder Rayan Cherki, who expertly slid a pass through for Tijjani Reijnders. The Dutchman made no mistake, firing home from an angle to give City a 1-0 lead. Reijnders later praised his teammate, stating, "Cherki knows how to find those passes... He is very good, he finds spaces."
However, City's advantage was short-lived. Forest responded with a blistering counter-attack just six minutes later, culminating in Igor Jesus setting up Omari Hutchinson. The youngster scored his first goal for the club with a first-time finish that beat goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, sending the home crowd into raptures.
Late Winner and Dyche's Discontent
As Forest grew in belief, City applied sustained pressure. The winner arrived in the 83rd minute from a set-piece. Josko Gvardiol headed a corner down into the path of Cherki, who unleashed a superb half-volley from the edge of the box that flew into the net. This decisive goal secured a massive three points for the champions.
Forest manager Sean Dyche was left fuming at the match officials, blaming them for the defeat. He described their performance as 'unacceptable', specifically referencing a push on Gibbs-White in the build-up to City's second goal. This loss extended Dyche's winless record against Pep Guardiola to 17 Premier League games, a managerial record in the competition.
The result moved Manchester City to 40 points, one ahead of Arsenal before their later fixture. Arsenal subsequently reclaimed first place with a win over Brighton. Forest remain in 17th position, just five points above the relegation zone. Speaking after the match, match-winner Cherki told TNT Sports, "When the games come we need just one thing: to win... today is a big win."
