City end the year in style with late win at Forest

Rayan Cherki’s 83rd minute winner secured a 2-1 victory over Nottingham Forest as Manchester City made it a perfect ending to 2025.

After neither side had a shot on target in the first half, Tijjani Reijnders fired us ahead in three minutes after the break when he calmly finished a well-crafted move.

But we looked like we would be denied a perfect December when Omari Hutchinson equalised from close range six minutes later.

With time ticking down, Cherki who also provided the assist for Reijnders’ opener, drilled a low volley through a crowded penalty area and into the net.

The victory was our eighth on the bounce and took us top of the Premier League ahead of Arsenal’s game later this afternoon.

THE GAME IN 250 WORDS

There was little Christmas spirit at the City Ground in a tetchy opening 45 minutes with defences on top and no shots on target but the festive would come later.

City survived a scare in the opening five when Callum Hudson-Odoi’s dangerous cross evaded Igor Jesus and Morgan Gibbs-White on the edge of the six-yard box.

We had more of the ball but found it difficult to break down the hosts with Cherki having one looping effort over the bar while Erling Haaland and Phil Foden saw shots blocked from good positions.

But the game came to life four minutes after the break when a clever City move cut open the home side. Cherki slid a past down the side of the Forest defence and Reijnders clinically finished in front of the jubilant away fans.

The Frenchman almost doubled our lead shortly after from a quick break but John Victor touched the ball onto the outside of the post.

However, City’s lead last just six minutes with Hutchinson finishing Igor Jesus’s cross from close range.

Forest’s Brazilian striker acted as battering ram all afternoon and he teed up Neco Williams whose low drive was well saved by Donnarumma and Nicola Savona fired the rebound over.

His compatriot John Victor, at the other end of the pitch, made a superb save to deny Phil Foden’s close range shot after he wriggled into the box and it looked like earning them a point.

But there was one last twist as a corner was cleared to Cherki whose first time effort found its way into the back of the net.

Assistant boss

The Premier League Playmaker of the season award was introduced in 2017/18 and City are the only team to have a player win it three times.

On each occasion, Kevin De Bruyne claimed the title for the most assists in a campaign.

After creating Reijnders’ goal, Cherki now sits on top of this season’s charts with Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes.

Both have a total of seven assists, although the City star’s have come from just eight Premier League starts.

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WHAT’S NEXT

City kick off 2026 with a really tough game on New Year’s Day against Sunderland.

We travel to the Stadium of Light on Thursday 1 January for a 20:00 (UK) kick-off to face a Black Cats side that has not been beaten at home all season.