December 27, (THEWILL) — Manchester City climbed to the top of the English Premier League table after defeating Nottingham Forest 2-1 at the City Ground on Saturday.
Rayan Cherki was the match-winner, scoring in the 83rd minute and providing an assist earlier in the contest.
The victory marked a sixth consecutive league win for Pep Guardiola’s side, who moved ahead of Arsenal before their fixture against Brighton and Hove Albion.
The opening 45 minutes produced little in the way of clear chances, with both teams struggling to create meaningful attacking opportunities.
The tempo remained subdued throughout the first period, setting the stage for a more open second half.
City broke the deadlock three minutes after the restart when Cherki delivered a pass that allowed Tijjani Reijnders to finish.
The visitors appeared in control, with Cherki striking the woodwork before Forest responded through Omari Hutchinson, who found the net to level the score.
Sean Dyche’s team looked capable of earning a point when goalkeeper John Victor produced an excellent save to deny Phil Foden from close range.
Forest defended with determination and organisation, frustrating City’s attacking players for much of the second period.
Cherki settled the match with seven minutes remaining, converting a first-time effort from Josko Gvardiol’s flick-on during a well-executed set-piece routine.
The goal ensured City collected all three points and maintained their winning run in the league, putting pressure on Mikel Arteta’s side.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
