Late Cherki Goal Secures Man City 2-1 Win Over Nottingham Forest

Cherki Delivers Again as Man City Edge Forest 2-1 in Title Race

Manchester City returned to the summit of the Premier League with a late, decisive strike from Rayan Cherki, overcoming a stubborn Nottingham Forest side 2-1 at the City Ground. This was a victory built on patience, technical quality and belief, qualities that continue to define City’s relentless charge as the season sharpens.

Forest, battling for momentum under Sean Dyche, made City work for every yard. The scoreline tells its own story of tension and fine margins, with Cherki’s 83rd minute winner settling a contest that had swung on moments of brilliance and costly lapses.

Forest Resolve Tests City Control

Nottingham Forest approached the contest with discipline and defiance. In the opening half, City dominated possession but found progress hard to come by. Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic were commanding at the heart of the Forest defence, repelling wave after wave of City pressure and limiting clear sight of goal.

Forest’s organisation forced City wide, slowing the rhythm and draining some of the fluency that has characterised their recent run. The home crowd responded, sensing an opportunity to frustrate the champions and perhaps inflict damage on their Premier League ambitions.

Reijnders and Hutchinson Shift Momentum

The breakthrough arrived shortly after the interval. Three minutes into the second half, Tijjani Reijnders found space inside the area and guided a composed finish beyond John Victor. It was a moment of quality that appeared to tilt the contest decisively in City’s favour.

Yet football’s balance can turn swiftly. Just six minutes later, Reijnders was caught in possession on the edge of his own area. Morgan Gibbs White reacted sharply, driving forward before releasing Igor Jesus, who unselfishly squared for Omari Hutchinson. The Forest record signing kept his nerve, scoring his first goal for the club and igniting belief around the ground.

For a brief spell, City wobbled. Cherki struck the post with a fierce effort, and Phil Foden was denied by a sharp save from John Victor as City pressed to restore control.

Cherki Winner Keeps City Marching

As the clock ticked down, City’s depth and composure began to tell. The pressure intensified, Forest legs tired, and space opened at the edge of the area. In the 83rd minute, Cherki seized his moment, cutting inside and driving a precise shot into the corner. John Victor had no chance.

It was a goal of authority and assurance, underlining why City continue to look ominous as the season unfolds. Eight consecutive wins in all competitions speak of rhythm and confidence, with Cherki emerging as a decisive figure in tight moments.

For Nottingham Forest, the evening carried emotional weight, with a pre match tribute to club legend John Robertson. The defeat, following a narrow loss at Fulham earlier in the week, means successive Premier League setbacks for the first time under Dyche. There were positives in the performance, but results remain unforgiving.

City left with three points, top spot reclaimed, and another reminder that in the Premier League, control and conviction often prevail. Forest were brave, organised and competitive, yet the sharpest quality ultimately decided the contest.