Manchester City maintained their relentless pursuit at the Premier League summit with a hard-fought 2-1 victory away at Nottingham Forest, sealed by a dramatic late winner from Rayan Cherki.
A Tense Battle at the City Ground
The match was played against a poignant backdrop at the City Ground, as the home side paid tribute to their legendary former player John Robertson, who passed away on Christmas Day aged 72. Floral tributes adorned the gates, players wore black armbands, and a moving montage played on the big screens, with banners hailing Robertson as "the Picasso of our game".
On the pitch, Forest's physical approach, spearheaded by striker Igor Jesus, caused City's defence significant problems from the outset. Rúben Dias was booked early on, while Josko Gvardiol was fortunate to escape stronger punishment. Despite Forest's endeavour, the first half passed without a shot on target from either side, with City's Erling Haaland largely anonymous.
City Break the Deadlock
The breakthrough finally came two and a half minutes into the second half. A slick City move saw Josko Gvardiol find Rayan Cherki, who played a precise pass for Tijjani Reijnders to sneak behind Nikola Milenkovic and slot a low finish past goalkeeper John Victor.
The relief for Pep Guardiola was palpable, the manager immediately pointing towards his assistant Pep Lijnders in celebration. City almost doubled their lead soon after, but Cherki's effort was pushed onto the post by Victor.
Forest Fight Back Before Late Heartbreak
Nottingham Forest found a deserved equaliser through summer signing Omari Hutchinson, who scored his first goal for the club since a £37.5m move from Ipswich. Morgan Gibbs-White found Igor Jesus, who delivered a superb cross to the edge of the box for Hutchinson to finish.
Just as the game seemed destined for a draw, City struck late. A Phil Foden corner, orchestrated by set-piece coach James French, led to chaos in the Forest box. The ball fell to Rayan Cherki, who smashed a right-footed effort through the legs of Morgan Gibbs-White and into the bottom corner, sparking wild celebrations.
Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma sprinted to embrace the coaching staff, highlighting the significance of the three points. The victory extends Manchester City's winning streak to eight matches in all competitions, including six consecutive Premier League wins, keeping the pressure on their title rivals.
