Manchester City gave their Premier League title hopes a huge boost with a hard-fought 2-1 win away at Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Tijjani Reijnders gave Pep Guardiola’s men the lead just three minutes into the second half after a quiet opening 45 minutes that saw Forest frustrate the visitors.
Forest didn’t let their heads drop when City got in front, pulling level just six minutes after going behind, with Omari Hutchinson finishing a sweeping counter-attack.
However, City’s quality eventually paid dividends, with Rayan Cherki volleying home an excellent strike in the 83rd minute as Forest failed to clear a corner.
Rayan Cherki masterminds vital Man City win
After an understated start to life in the Premier League, Rayan Cherki has truly come to prominence over recent months, and on Saturday, he hit entirely new heights.
The France international was utterly decisive to Man City’s vital win here, carving the Forest defence open for Reijnders’ opening goal, before dispatching a finish of the highest quality to win the game in the final 10 minutes.
Cherki’s goal and assist were the product of a match-high three chances created, as well as four shots, while he also completed two of four dribbles, had seven touches in the opposition box and put four crosses into the Forest penalty area.
“For Cherki, the sky is the limit – the people say that, right? It depends on his limits, what does he want to become – he can achieve it because, of course, he’s an incredibly talented player,” Guardiola said of Cherki ahead of Saturday’s match.
The Spaniard is exactly right. Cherki now has two goals and seven assists in 13 Premier League appearances — the latter a league-high — alongside a further three goals and an assist in Champions League and EFL Cup play.
He’s popping up in key moments, deciding vital games, and keeping Man City breathing menacingly down Arsenal’s neck in what is shaping up to be a perilously close title race. One potentially decided by performances like this.
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Elliot Anderson shows England class in defeat
There were many heroes behind Nottingham Forest’s performance on Saturday. Igor Jesus’ hold-up play and bullying of Man City’s centre-backs were vital. Morgan Gibbs-White’s composure and precision were crucial to the equaliser. Omari Hutchinson was the man to score that goal.
However, as has been the case so many times since he arrived at the City Ground last summer, Elliot Anderson was the key man for Forest.
It was Anderson who was there time and again to stifle Man City attacks, making a match-high four tackles, alongside 10 recoveries, three interceptions, two clearances and one block.
And in possession, Anderson exuded composure, completing 47 of his 56 passes — including seven into the final third — while completing two of four dribbles and playing seven crosses into the box.
Forest pushed City hard on Saturday, and Anderson, above anyone else, didn’t deserve to be on the losing side.
But although there was no festive cheer at the City Ground, the 23-year-old midfielder — who won more duels (10) than any other player on the pitch — once again demonstrated against elite opposition exactly why Thomas Tuchel sees him as a key component of England’s World Cup bid next summer.
What next for Nottingham Forest and Manchester City?
Saturday’s battling win sees Man City climb one point above Arsenal ahead of the Gunners facing Brighton at 3pm. Crucially, this is their eighth consecutive win across all competitions and sixth straight in the Premier League.
| Position | Club | Played | Goal difference | Points |
| 1 | Man City | 18 | +26 | 40 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 17 | +21 | 39 |
| 3 | Aston Villa | 17 | +9 | 36 |
The Cityzens face a tough run next, with Sunderland away — the Black Cats are unbeaten at the Stadium of Light this season — and Chelsea at home.
As for Forest, they remain 17th in the table, but five points clear of West Ham, who face Fulham at 3pm. Up next for the Tricky Trees is a home clash against Everton on Tuesday, before they travel to Aston Villa next Saturday in their first match of 2026.