Manchester City came from behind to claim a 2-1 victory over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, thanks to second-half goals from Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki.
Cherki was instrumental in both goals, first setting up Reijnders’ opener shortly after the break and then scoring the winner himself late in the match.
The first half was largely uneventful, with neither side managing a shot on target. For City, it marked their first Premier League half without a shot on target since December 2024 against Liverpool.
The second half began with drama as Rúben Dias, already booked, fouled Igor Jesus on the edge of the box but avoided a second yellow card. Moments later, City struck with their first shot on target. Reijnders capitalised on Cherki’s pass to slot the ball under goalkeeper John Victor, scoring his fourth goal of the season and second consecutive match with a goal. Cherki’s assist was his seventh in the Premier League, the most by any player this season.
Forest responded quickly through Omari Hutchinson, who netted his first goal for the club after joining from Ipswich Town. Hutchinson met a cross from Jesus and side-footed past Gianluigi Donnarumma. All four of Hutchinson’s Premier League goals have now come against ‘big six’ sides at home.
Cherki sealed the win with seven minutes remaining. After a clever corner routine saw Josko Gvardiol head the ball into his path, the Frenchman fired a powerful shot into the bottom corner. Since joining City from Lyon, Cherki has been highly influential, registering eight goal involvements in the Premier League since November and reaching 50 goal contributions across Europe’s top five leagues (16 goals, 34 assists).
The win temporarily lifts Manchester City above Arsenal in the Premier League table, although the Gunners could reclaim the top spot depending on their result against Brighton. Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, remain winless against Pep Guardiola in 17 Premier League encounters, equalling Steve Bruce’s record against Alex Ferguson for the most matches without a victory against a single manager.
Opta statistics highlight City’s control in key moments, with detailed data on player performances, expected goals, passing networks, and more available for analysis.
