Late Cherki winner denies Forest point to fire City top of the pile

Rayan Cherki’s late strike denied Nottingham Forest a point and sent Manchester City back to the top of the Premier League after a hard-fought 2-1 win at the City Ground.

The France international ended his Premier League goal drought at a decisive moment, striking in the 83rd minute to extend City’s winning run and underline their growing authority in the title race.

The outcome was cruel for Forest, as they matched Man City for long periods and looked capable of holding on after a spirited second-half response.

The fixture carried emotional weight before kick-off, with the home crowd paying tribute to club legend John Robertson, whose passing earlier in the week cast a reflective tone over the occasion.

That sense of purpose appeared to fuel Forest early on, as they disrupted City’s rhythm and limited them to sterile possession in a first half devoid of shots on target.

Forest came closest to breaking the deadlock when Callum Hudson-Odoi’s inviting cross flashed across the goal, only for Igor Jesus and Morgan Gibbs-White to miss the decisive touch.

City struggled to impose their usual control, with Erling Braut Haaland kept quiet by a disciplined and aggressive Forest back line.

The contest shifted shortly after the restart when City finally found a breakthrough with their first effort on target.

Cherki slid a perfectly weighted pass into the path of Tijjani Reijnders, who slipped behind the defence and finished calmly under John Victor.

Momentum briefly swung City’s way, and they went close to doubling the lead when Cherki’s driven effort struck the post after a sharp save from the Forest goalkeeper.

Forest refused to retreat and were level within minutes, capitalising on a turnover high up the pitch.

Gibbs-White surged forward on the counter before finding Igor Jesus, whose cut-back was drilled home by Omari Hutchinson for his first Forest goal.

That equaliser reignited belief inside the City Ground, with Forest pushing forward and threatening to complete a memorable turnaround.

Neco Williams forced a save from Gianluigi Donnarumma, while Nicola Savona blazed the rebound over from a tight angle as the hosts sensed vulnerability.

Manchester City gradually reasserted themselves as the closing stages approached, probing patiently for an opening.

Phil Foden came agonisingly close when his clever footwork created space, only for Victor to produce another vital stop.

The decisive moment arrived from a corner, when the ball dropped invitingly to Cherki on the edge of the area.

His low right-footed strike threaded through a crowd and into the corner, beyond the reach of the Forest goalkeeper.

The goal sparked jubilant celebrations from the City bench and confirmed a sixth consecutive league win.

The disappointment was heavy for the hosts, but the performance suggested resilience rather than regression.

City left Nottingham with three points, momentum and the sense that champions find a way even when fluency is elusive.