Nottingham, Dec 27 (IANS) Rayan Cherki struck an 83rd-minute winner to secure a 2-1 victory for Manchester City against Nottingham Forest as Pep Guardiola ended the year 2025 on a perfect note with an eighth successive win in Nottingham on Saturday.
After a goalless first half in which neither side had a shot on target, Tijjani Reijnders fired City ahead three minutes after the break when he calmly finished a well-crafted move.
It looked like City would be denied a perfect December when Omari Hutchinson equalised from close range six minutes later and left Pep Guardiola’s side fretting the loss of a point.
With time ticking down, Cherki, who also provided the assist for Reijnders’ opener, drilled a low volley through a crowded penalty area and into the net to seal victory and full points for City. The victory was City’s eighth on the bounce and took them to 40 points from 18 matches in the Premier League table.
There was little Christmas spirit at the City Ground, West Bridgford, in an ill-tempered opening 45 minutes with defences on top and no shots on target. The festive cheer came in the second session with both teams finding the back of the net in quick succession.
City survived a scare in the opening five minutes when Callum Hudson-Odoi’s dangerous cross evaded Igor Jesus and Morgan Gibbs-White on the edge of the six-yard box. They had more of the ball but found it difficult to break down the hosts, with Cherki having one looping effort over the bar while Erling Haaland and Phil Foden saw shots blocked from good positions.
The match came to life shortly after the break when a clever move by Manchester City cut open the home side. Cherki slid a pass down the side of the Forest defence and Reijnders clinically finished in front of the jubilant away fans.
The Frenchman almost doubled the lead shortly with a quick break, but John Victor touched the ball onto the outside of the post.
However, City’s lead lasted just six minutes with Hutchinson finishing Igor Jesus’s cross from close range. Forest’s Brazilian striker, Igor Jesus, teed up Neco Williams, whose low drive was well saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma, and Nicola Savona fired the rebound over.
At the other end of the pitch, John Victor made a superb save to deny Phil Foden’s close-range shot after he wriggled into the box. But there was one last twist as a corner was cleared to Cherki, whose first-time effort found its way into the back of the net.
–IANS
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