Nottingham Forest 1 Man City 2: How did Cherki help unlock Forest? Why is Guardiola naming same XI?
We break down the talking points from the Premier League game at the City Ground.
Rayan Cherki continued his great form for Manchester City as he helped drag them to a 2-1 victory over Nottingham Forest.
City struggled to break down Forest until a great pass from Cherki set up Tijjani Reijnders early in the second half. Forest then equalised shortly after through Omari Hutchinson, who finished off a great breakaway. Phil Foden created a great chance for himself with 20 minutes to go, only to be thwarted by a brilliant save from John Victor.
It was left to Cherki to strike past Victor in the closing minutes to put City top, one point clear of Arsenal, who play in the afternoon.
Pep Guardiola named an unchanged lineup for the third successive game, but why is he doing it and what does it show?
Thom Harris breaks down the talking points from the City Ground.
How important was this in the title race?
It may not be for long but City’s return to the top of the Premier League feels significant.
Some may have been unsure about their title credentials after a disappointing 2024-25 season. All eyes have been on Arsenal after an imperious start, allowing Guardiola’s side to claw back the gap quietly. It seemed like City were already slipping out of the title race when they lost 2-1 at Newcastle United in November but they have since strung together six straight wins.
There are 20 games to go, but make no mistake, this was a big result in another title charge.
Pep Guardiola celebrates City’s second goal (Michael Regan/Getty Images)
How did Forest stifle City before Cherki won the game?
Guardiola doesn’t usually encounter too many problems when he faces Sean Dyche. Before today, he had won 16 of their 18 meetings against his Burnley and Everton sides, drawing the other two. Only against Fulham’s Marco Silva does he boast a better record.
But it quickly became clear that this was not going to be a walk in the park, even as City headed into the game searching for an eleventh consecutive win. They struggled to create for much of the opening exchanges, with Erling Haaland’s blocked shot on 20 minutes — gift-wrapped after a slack pass from Forest centre-back Murillo — their first attempt of the game.
Dyche slightly adapted his usual out-of-possession approach to cater for City’s creativity in midfield. Defending in a 4-5-1, with Morgan Gibbs-White dropping into midfield and working hard to block out any passes into the likes of Foden and Cherki between the lines — Forest had coverage across the pitch, able to quickly shift out wide when City looked to find their advanced full-backs with long, diagonal balls.
