Manchester City won for the first time in eight matches across all competitions, as they produced an assured 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.
Pep Guardiola’s side came into the game having lost four Premier League matches on the bounce and they were on a seven-match winless run in all competitions.
But goals from Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku earned the champions a much-needed victory.
De Bruyne assisted Silva’s early close-range opener before doubling City’s lead just after the half-hour mark, giving Matz Sels no chance with his powerful strike.
Doku rounded off a confidence-boosting display for the hosts in the 57th minute, finishing off a brilliant counter-attack with a fine curling shot as City earned their first win since 26 October.
City’s victory moved them back into the top four and reduced their gap behind leaders Liverpool to nine points, while a third loss in four games leaves Forest on 22 points.
How the match unfolded
It took just eight minutes for City to break the deadlock and settle the home fans’ nerves, as De Bruyne rose high to nod towards the goal line where Silva stretched out a leg to poke it in.
Josko Gvardiol had two glorious chances to add to their tally, glancing a free header wide before dragging a shot past the post either side of an impressive Stefan Ortega save which denied Morgan Gibbs-White at the other end.
De Bruyne was in the thick of the action, with his sloppy pass almost gifting an equaliser to Chris Wood, who missed from a one-v-one situation, shortly before the Belgian rifled City’s second goal past Sels.
City made sure of victory when they exploited the space in behind as Forest committed bodies forward, with Erling Haaland sliding in Doku, who cut inside to bend a wonderful strike into the bottom-right corner.
De Bruyne also fizzed a low free-kick around the wall and just wide of the near post, while Anthony Elanga’s attempt for a consolation floated narrowly over Ortega’s crossbar as City held on comfortably.
De Bruyne provides the spark
Guardiola has rung the changes without reward over recent weeks as he tried to turn City’s fortunes around. It seems De Bruyne was the missing piece to their puzzle after his influential display ensured they returned to winning ways.
The midfielder – making his first Premier League start in nearly three months – orchestrated the hosts from the start, setting up Haaland for an early chance that Sels parried before De Bruyne set up the opener.
Even after Wood pounced on his mistake, De Bruyne’s confidence did not waver, showcased by his fine finish in the 31st minute. He had other chances too, dragging wide in the first half before his free-kick almost caught out Sels after the break.
City were also boosted by the strong displays from Doku and Jack Grealish on their returns to the starting line-up, with the former causing havoc down the left. He almost got a second late on too, dribbling past his defender before blazing over.
Despite holding a big lead, Guardiola will not have felt secure until the final whistle was blown given City’s recent collapse in their 3-3 draw with Feyenoord in the UEFA Champions League, but this time his team were able to hold out for a much-needed three points without any undue stress.
Disjointed Forest undone
Forest may have hoped it was an ideal time to face City given the hosts’ recent poor form, though on reflection it could have been the worst time to play them, as Guardiola had his refreshed team fired up after their uncharacteristic run of defeats.
The visitors had already beaten league leaders Liverpool at Anfield this season and showed their resolute calmness even after giving away an early goal, weathering a flurry of chances in the opening stages before growing into the first half.
Gibbs-White and Wood both had brilliant chances to equalise before De Bruyne’s goal, and the away fans were astounded when the latter dragged his chance wide of the far post under little pressure given his recent hot streak in front of goal. Had either of those chances been converted, the story of the night – and the mood in the stadium – could have been very different.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side had their moments in the second half too, with Murillo firing just over after a marauding run, and they became braver as they went in search of a goal that might have rattled the home crowd. However, that was their downfall, as City were able to exploit the space in behind and ruthlessly wrap up the win with a third goal.
Forest’s form has dropped off in recent weeks after their stellar start to the season, and Nuno will be hoping they can bounce back quickly. However, it does not get too much easier in the upcoming games, with Manchester United, Aston Villa, Brentford and Tottenham Hotspur making up a testing quartet of fixtures.
Club reports
Manchester City | Nottingham Forest
What the managers said
Pep Guardiola: "I'm so happy for him [Kevin De Bruyne]. Last season [he was injured for] many months and this season as well. I’m so happy he’s back. Our football is always built from the midfield. They make our tempo and the way we have to play. We controlled the game, and Jack [Grealish] gave us that pace. When to accelerate and control, he did it really good. With the problems that we have in the middle with two holding midfielders injured, Gundo [Ilkay Gundogan] has played an important role for us. Everyone was good."
Nuno Espirito Santo: "There were moments in the game which could have changed the whole atmosphere, we had chances, but we didn't achieve it. I think we went for the game, we tried to press, but when you try there's always moments that you are not so balanced and so organised and we faced a very good team, the quality individually, the way they are clinical, so let's learn from it."
Match officials
Referee: Michael Oliver. Assistants: Stuart Burt, Scott Ledger. Fourth official: Tom Bramall. VAR: Peter Bankes. Assistant VAR: Dan Cook.
