Manchester City maintained their relentless pursuit at the top of the Premier League with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over a resilient Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, sealed by a dramatic late winner from Rayan Cherki.
A Poignant Prelude and Stubborn Resistance
The match was preceded by emotional tributes to Nottingham Forest legend John Robertson, who passed away on Christmas Day aged 72. Floral wreaths adorned the stadium gates, players wore black armbands, and a moving video montage honoured the club icon, with banners dubbing him the "Picasso" of their game.
On the pitch, Forest started boldly, with striker Igor Jesus proving a handful for City's centre-back pairing of Rúben Dias and Josko Gvardiol from the outset. The first half was a cagey affair, with Forest effectively limiting the champions to half-chances. Erling Haaland was notably quiet, touching the ball only six times before the interval.
City Break Through Before Forest Fight Back
The deadlock was broken just two and a half minutes into the second half. A slick City move ended with Tijjani Reijnders sneaking in behind the defence to slot a low finish past goalkeeper John Victor. The relief on the City bench was palpable, with manager Pep Guardiola immediately celebrating with his assistant, Pep Lijnders.
City appeared to be cruising when Cherki forced Victor into a fine save onto the post. However, Forest found a deserved equaliser midway through the half. Summer signing Omari Hutchinson, a £37.5m arrival from Ipswich, scored his first goal for the club, firing home after excellent work by Morgan Gibbs-White and Igor Jesus.
Cherki's Delight Seals the Points
Just as the game seemed destined for a draw, City struck the decisive blow. In the closing stages, a well-worked corner from Phil Foden – orchestrated by set-piece coach James French – found its way to Cherki on the edge of the box. The Frenchman drilled a right-footed shot through a crowd and into the bottom corner, sparking wild celebrations.
Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma sprinted the length of the pitch to join the ecstatic coaching staff, underscoring the significance of the three points. The result means Manchester City have now won eight consecutive matches in all competitions, including six straight in the Premier League, maintaining their ominous form.
Guardiola, who had earlier joked about monitoring his squad's Christmas weight, will be delighted with his team's resilience. For a valiant Forest, inspired by the memory of Robertson, it was a cruel defeat after a performance full of courage and tactical discipline.
