Manchester City survive scare to beat Nottingham Forest as Premier League title race takes another twist
Rayan Cherki’s strike seven minutes from time propelled Manchester City back to the summit of the Premier League following a hard-fought 2-1 triumph over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.
The French midfielder found the corner from outside the penalty area in the 83rd minute, a goal that Forest goalkeeper John Victor was powerless to prevent.
Victory extends City’s formidable run to eight consecutive wins across all competitions, underlining their ominous form as the title race intensifies.
The result proved particularly painful for the hosts, who had earlier threatened to derail City’s championship aspirations after drawing level in the second half.
Forest’s stubborn rearguard action during the opening 45 minutes saw defenders Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic produce outstanding performances to frustrate the visitors.
However, that resistance crumbled merely three minutes after the interval when Tijjani Reijnders guided his effort beyond John Victor to give City the advantage.
The lead lasted just six minutes before Omari Hutchinson netted his maiden goal for Forest to restore parity.
Rayan Cherki was the hero on Saturday as Manchester City beat Nottingham Forest
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The equaliser came on an afternoon when the club paid tribute to legendary figure John Robertson, making the subsequent defeat all the more difficult for the home supporters to accept.
The equaliser materialised following a costly error from Reijnders, who surrendered possession on the edge of his own box.
Morgan Gibbs-White capitalised on the mistake, driving forward before locating Igor Jesus in a dangerous position.
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The Brazilian then laid the ball off for Hutchinson, Forest’s record signing, who made no mistake with his finish.
Prior to the leveller, City had come agonisingly close to doubling their advantage when John Victor pushed Cherki’s effort onto the woodwork.
The Forest shot-stopper then produced a sharp stop to deny Phil Foden, temporarily keeping the scores level before Cherki’s decisive intervention.
Sean Dyche’s tenure at Forest has now seen back-to-back losses for the first time, following their narrow 1-0 defeat at Craven Cottage earlier in the week.
The struggling hosts find themselves in a precarious position as their recent form continues to falter.
Meanwhile, City’s championship bid has gathered significant momentum despite facing determined opposition at the City Ground.
Tijjani Reijnders had put Manchester City ahead against Nottingham Forest earlier in the match
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Victor had earlier kept his side in contention with crucial interventions, turning Cherki’s drive against the post and thwarting Foden’s attempt to restore the visitors’ lead.
Ultimately, however, the French midfielder proved unstoppable when it mattered most.
The result means City now sit one point clear of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table.
The Gunners face Brighton later in the day.
