Manchester City’s title charge rolled on with a hard-fought 2–1 victory away at Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon.
At the City Ground, charged with emotion following tributes to club legend John Robertson, Pep Guardiola’s side were made to work for every inch against an organised, combative Forest team who executed their game plan with discipline and belief.
City eventually prevailed thanks to moments of quality from Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki, whose late winner sparked wild celebrations from the away bench and even from goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who ran from his goal towards the City staff on the touchline in exuberant fashion.
Shortly after Reijnders’ opener early into the second-half, Forest levelled proceedings through Omari Hutchinson after an excellent breakaway move and for long periods, the hosts succeeded in blunting City’s most dangerous weapons.
Saturday was not a fluent afternoon. Erling Haaland and Phil Foden were unusually quiet, City struggled to impose their usual rhythm in the first-half – and the winning goal arrived amid controversy following a corner.
But City found a way, as they so often do, extending their winning run to eight matches in all competitions and briefly moving back above Arsenal at the top of the Premier League – though the Gunners held on against a resolute Brighton side at the Emirates Stadium to reclaim top spot.
Here are five key lessons from Manchester City’s pragmatic performance at the City Ground.
1. A victory of patience rather than control
Manchester City are accustomed to dominating matches through possession but this was a different type of test. Forest, under Sean Dyche, defended in a compact 4-5-1 shape, with Morgan Gibbs-White dropping diligently into midfield to clog the spaces where City usually thrive.
The result was a first half devoid of clear chances for either side and a game played largely in front of Forest’s defensive block. City were forced into patience. Their passing was deliberate rather than incisive, probing rather than piercing.
Erling Haaland touched the ball only six times in the first-half, a remarkable statistic for a striker who usually dominates penalty areas. Forest succeeded in keeping City’s attacking midfielders facing away from goal and funnelling play into less dangerous wide areas.
That City did not panic was significant. There was no sense of urgency tipping into recklessness. Guardiola’s side trusted that openings would eventually appear and when they did, City were ready to exploit them. Reijnders’ goal – coming just two-and-a-half minutes after the restart – was the reward for persistence rather than pressure.
In tight title races, these are the games that define champions. City did not impose themselves early doors but they never lost belief in the process.
2. Cherki becoming City’s primary problem-solver
Rayan Cherki’s influence continues to grow and at the City Ground, he was the one player capable of turning a locked door handle. Forest’s defensive organisation limited City’s usual patterns but Cherki’s ability to receive between the lines and play forward at speed proved decisive.
The opening goal was a perfect example. Josko Gvardiol stepped into midfield and found Cherki, who took a sharp touch and threaded a slide-rule pass through Nikola Milenković’s blindside. Reijnders timed his run and finished low across the goalkeeper. It was a goal born of vision rather than volume.
Rayan Cherki vs Nottingham Forest:
1 Goal
1 Assist
67 Touches
41 Accurate Passes
87% Pass Accuracy
7 Touches In Opposition Box
5 Ground Duels Won
3 Recoveries
3 Chances Created (Most)
2 Tackles
2 Shots On Target
2 Successful Dribbles
2 Passes Into Final Third
1 Interception pic.twitter.com/gIZ3y5BODL
— City Xtra (@City_Xtra) December 27, 2025
Cherki’s winner was different in nature but no less telling. After Gvardiol nodded the ball down from a corner, the 22-year-old struck through a crowd, the shot skidding through the legs of Gibbs-White and into the corner. It was instinctive, aggressive and emblematic of a player growing in confidence and responsibility.
What stands out is not just Cherki’s technical quality but also his willingness to demand the ball when City are struggling. In matches where rhythm is elusive and space is scarce, City now have a player who can improvise solutions rather than wait for patterns to develop.
3. Midfield balance built on trust and continuity
Guardiola named an unchanged starting XI for the third consecutive league game, a rarity by his standards. This was the sixth time this season that City have gone unchanged in the Premier League, matching the total from the previous four seasons combined. That continuity matters.
The midfield trio of Bernardo Silva, Nico Gonzalez and Reijnders provided structure rather than spectacle. Their task was to protect against Forest’s transitions, recycle possession efficiently and allow Cherki and Foden freedom ahead of them. While none dominated individually, collectively they gave City stability in a hostile environment.
Reijnders’ goal will draw attention but his broader contribution was just as important. Positioned close to Haaland, he occupied Forest’s centre-backs and created uncertainty about who should step out. After scoring, his confidence visibly grew and he began to assert himself more in possession.
This settled midfield allows City to absorb pressure without losing shape. Against an opponent who relied heavily on second balls and physical duels, that reliability was essential.
4. City’s problems exposed with physical, direct play
For all City’s control in possession, Forest demonstrated a blueprint that can still cause Guardiola’s side problems. Igor Jesus’ duel with Ruben Dias and Gvardiol was relentless from the opening minutes. The Brazilian striker played on the edge, constantly engaging defenders, drawing fouls and unsettling City’s back line.
Forest’s equaliser came from exactly the scenario Guardiola referenced post-match – a long phase of pressure, a second ball won by Gibbs-White and a quick switch of play. Igor Jesus’ cross to the backpost was outstanding and Hutchinson’s finish was composed.
City struggled at times to defend these moments, particularly when Forest attacked with speed and numbers. The first-half booking for Dias and Gvardiol’s earlier foul illustrated the fine line City walked defensively.
That City conceded control in patches during the second-half was notable. Unlike the measured dominance of previous weeks, there were moments of chaos but City accepted that trade-off in pursuit of a winner. This willingness to tolerate disorder, trusting their attacking quality to compensate, marks a subtle shift in approach.
5. City starting to find alternative routes to victory
This was not a match defined by Haaland’s goals or Foden’s creativity. Both were well contained. Yet City still won. That is perhaps the most important takeaway.
The winning goal came from a set piece, an area where City have quietly improved this season. James French’s influence on dead-ball routines was evident and Gvardiol’s aerial presence at the back post created the platform for Cherki’s strike. Even if Forest disputed the physicality in the build-up, City executed their plan.
The reaction to the goal told its own story. Donnarumma sprinted towards the bench, Guardiola was engulfed by his staff as there was a collective release of tension. This mattered. Not because it was spectacular but because it was difficult.
Title-winning seasons are built on wins like this – away from home, against motivated opponents, when fluency is absent and margins are tight. City showed resilience, adaptability and belief. They did not dominate Forest but they outlasted them.
The result was a reminder that the defining quality of elite teams is not how they play when everything works but how they respond when it does not. Forest tested City physically, tactically and emotionally. City responded with patience, discipline and moments of precision.
Rayan Cherki’s growing importance, Reijnders’ timely contribution and the collective calm under pressure all point to a side that is rediscovering its edge at a crucial stage of the season. With Arsenal forced to keep pace, the pressure is once again shifting.
This was not a statement made through dominance but through resolve. And in a title race that will hinge on uncomfortable afternoons as much as comfortable ones, that may prove just as significant.