Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest Report

Scorers: Silva 8’, De Bruyne 31’, Doku 57’

Manchester City ended their seven-game winless streak with a commanding 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest at the Etihad Stadium, inspired by Kevin De Bruyne’s first Premier League start since mid-September.

Early Dominance as De Bruyne Shines

Amid pre-match concerns over City’s recent struggles, the reigning champions made an emphatic start. Bernardo Silva opened the scoring in the eighth minute, cleverly diverting De Bruyne’s header into the net.

The dynamic duo continued to link up brilliantly, with De Bruyne delivering a delightful cross for Silva on the quarter-hour mark, though Joško Gvardiol’s header went wide.

Despite Forest’s attempts to counter, including a venomous strike from Morgan Gibbs-White that forced a sharp save from Stefan Ortega, City remained on the front foot.

Gvardiol and De Bruyne both came close to doubling the lead, with Gvardiol missing after a burst forward and De Bruyne firing just wide.

De Bruyne Doubles City’s Lead

Nottingham Forest had a golden opportunity to equalise when Chris Wood latched onto a misplaced De Bruyne pass, but the forward uncharacteristically fired wide.

Moments later, De Bruyne redeemed himself with a stunning strike, clinically doubling City’s lead and reaffirming his importance to the team.

Forest continued to fight, with Anthony Elanga and Nikola Milenković missing chances before the break. However, their efforts couldn’t dent City’s growing confidence.

Doku Seals the Win with a Brilliant Finish

City extended their lead shortly before the hour mark when Jérémy Doku collected Erling Haaland’s pass, glided past Milenković, and finished superbly to make it 3-0. The Belgian winger’s clinical strike highlighted City’s attacking depth and creativity.

With momentum firmly on their side, De Bruyne nearly added a fourth, grazing the side netting with a free-kick and forcing a fine save from Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels. Despite Forest’s continued efforts, including Elanga’s late shot that found the roof of the net, City comfortably saw out the match.

Conclusion: City End Winless Streak, Forest Struggle

The victory marks a much-needed turnaround for Manchester City, who ended a four-match PL losing streak and moved closer to the league leaders as Liverpool dropped points against Newcastle.

For Nottingham Forest, the result highlights their struggles, with this being their third defeat in four matches.

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Man City v Nottm Forest, 2024/25 | Premier League