Premier League 2025-26: Man City go top with 2-1 win over Forest after Cherki heroics

Manchester City beat Nottingham Forest 2-1 to move provisionally top of the Premier League after Rayan Cherki scored and assisted at The City Ground on Saturday.

The French midfielder first provided the pass for City’s opener before hitting an 83rd-minute winner from a set-piece to secure his eighth straight win in all competitions.

The result took City to 40 points, one ahead of Arsenal, who face Brighton & Hove Albion later on Saturday. Forest remain in 17th place, just five points clear of the relegation zone.

«When the games come, we only need one thing: to win. We get the points because the championship is so long and so difficult, so today is a big victory,» Cherki said. TNT Sports.

“It’s good for the team because the match wasn’t easy.”

City dominated possession in a goalless first half but struggled to break Forest’s compact defensive shape, with striker Erling Haaland largely isolated up front.

Forest’s best chance fell to Morgan Gibbs-White, who failed to convert Callum Hudson-Odoi’s cross from behind the defense early in the match.

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The breakthrough came within three minutes of the restart when Cherki slipped the ball through for Tijjani Reijnders and the Dutchman struck from a corner to make it 1-0.

But City’s lead lasted just six minutes as Forest launched a quick counter-attack that ended with a cross from Igor Jesus to Omari Hutchinson, who took his shot for the first time and beat Gianluigi Donnarumma to score his first goal for the club.

Forest sensed victory but squandered chances when Jesus and Nicolo Savona both shot over, while at the other end Phil Foden’s effort was well saved by goalkeeper John Victor.

City’s persistent pressure finally paid off when Josko Gvardiol headed a corner to Cherki, who collected the ball on the half-volley and sent a low drive from the edge of the box into the back of the net to restore the lead.

Forest’s loss also extended Sean Dyche’s winless record against Pep Guardiola to seventeen Premier League games, the longest streak without a win for a manager against another in the competition.

Published on December 27, 2025