The match held at City Ground showcased a captivating contest as Nottingham Forest could not outdo the resolute Manchester City, concluding with a 2-1 scoreline. The scoring began early in the second half at the 47th minute when Tijjani Reijnders found the net following an impressive play. However, Nottingham Forest responded swiftly, equalizing just 8 minutes later thanks to a powerful shot from Omari Hutchinson. Ultimately, the Citizens’ strength prevailed as Rayan Cherki netted the decisive goal in the 82nd minute, sealing the match at 2-1.
Rayan Cherki emerged as the standout performer, making his mark with a goal, 4 shots on target, and 30 successful passes, thus earning the title of the match’s best player. Additionally, Josko Gvardiol was vital in the defensive line, clearancing 9 dangerous balls to maintain Manchester City’s advantage.
Nottingham’s manager, Sean Dyche, deployed a 4-5-1 formation, placing John Victor in goal; Nicolò Savona, Nikola Milenkovic, Murillo, and Neco Williams in defense; Nicolás Domínguez, Elliot Anderson, Omari Hutchinson, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Callum Hudson-Odoi in midfield; and Igor Jesus leading the attack.
On the other side, Pep Guardiola’s squad displayed a 4-3-3 strategy with Gianluigi Donnarumma as the goalkeeper; Matheus Nunes, Rúben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, and Nico O’Reilly in defense; Bernardo Silva, Nicolás Gonzalez, and Tijjani Reijnders in midfield; accompanied by Rayan Cherki, Erling Haaland, and Phil Foden on the frontline.
The game was officiated by referee Robert Jones.
Looking ahead, Nottingham Forest will host Everton, while Manchester City will travel to Sunderland for their next fixtures. Currently, Nottingham sits in 17th place with 18 points, while Manchester City stands at the top of the table with 40 points.
Substitutions for Nottingham Forest
86’ 2T – Nicolás Domínguez was replaced by Taiwo Awoniyi
91’ 2T – Callum Hudson-Odoi was replaced by Dilane Bakwa
Cautions for Nottingham Forest:
42’ 1T Elliot Anderson (Unsportsmanlike behavior)
Substitutions for Manchester City
72’ 2T – Tijjani Reijnders was replaced by Savinho
88’ 2T – Rayan Cherki was replaced by Nathan Aké
Cautions for Manchester City:
35’ 1T Rúben Dias (Insulting or dissenting the referee), 58’ 2T Nico O’Reilly (Holding an opponent to prevent advancement), and 74’ 2T Josep Guardiola (Unsportsmanlike conduct)