Kevin De Bruyne returned to the Man City line-up and was immediately back in the goals
Kevin De Bruyne returned to the Man City line-up and was immediately back in the goals
Kevin De Bruyne vindicated Pep Guardiola's enduring faith in him by getting Manchester City back to winning ways.
Victory ended a run of seven games without a win for Guardiola's faltering side, with De Bruyne the chief architect of their long-awaited return to the winner's enclosure.
On the eve of the game, Guardiola felt compelled to insist there was no issue between him and De Bruyne, after Sky pundits Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher suggested a fall-out between the pair.
De Bruyne had not started any of City's previous five games and only came on for the final 12 minutes of Sunday's 2-0 defeat at Premier League leaders Liverpool. But the 33-year-old playmaker was restored to the starting line-up against Forest, handed the captain's armband by Guardiola and inspired City to victory with a goal and an assist.
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With injuries and the onset of age, De Bruyne will never be the rampaging midfielder he was in his prime, but he proved he can still decide games with his quick brain and clever movement. When he was replaced with 16 minutes left, De Bruyne received a standing ovation from City's fans, with Guardiola joining in the applause and embracing him as he left the pitch.
It said everything about City's uncharacteristic recent slump that Forest arrived at the Etihad Stadium just one place below the four-in-a-row champions. Forest, in contrast, had won four of their previous six Premier League games, to continue their unlikely push for a Champions League place after such an impressive start to the season.
Guardiola had hit back at Sky pundits Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher, for suggesting he had fallen out with midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, underlining his point by making him captain.
The first chance went City's way, Jeremy Doku winning possession, starting a move involving Jack Grealish, Bernardo Silva and De Bruyne, ending with Erling Haaland forcing a save from Matz Sels.
But City only had to wait a couple of minutes longer to take the lead, Ilkay Gundogan crossing for De Bruyne, whose header back into the six-yard box was met by Silva, who turned the ball over the line.
Josko Gvardiol squandered a chance to double City's lead moments later, sending a glancing header agonisingly wide from a Silva cross, as Guardiola's side tried to build on their early advantage.
Yet City remained vulnerable at the back, Jot Silva wrestling the ball off Gvardiol, then picking out Morgan Gibbs-White, whose goal-bound effort was superbly palmed away by Stefan Ortega, who kept his place in goal ahead of No.1 Ederson.
City received a massive let-off on the half-hour when a misplaced pass by De Bruyne, intended for Ruben Dias, was seized upon by Chris Wood, who found himself one-on-one with Ortega, only to drag his shot wide.
Man City ended a run of four Premier League losses in a row
It proved a costly miss, City going 2-0 ahead within 90 seconds, Doku slipping the ball inside the area to De Bruyne, who steadied himself before applying an emphatic finish for his second goal of the season and his first since August 24.
Despite their lead, City continued to look shaky at the back, with Forest getting in behind them on a couple of occasions, but the visitors were unable to make it count. Nicolas Dominguez had an air-shot in the six-yard box, while Forest defender Murillo went close with a long-range effort.
Doku made it 3-0 three minutes before the hour, curling the ball beyond Sels after a fine pass from Haaland to complete the win at a mightily relieved Etihad.
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