Regular service resumed at the Eithad Stadium as Manchester City stopped their recent slump by beating Nottingham Forest 3–0.
Competition event
Kevin De Bruyne – left out of the starting XI for the defeat to Liverpool last weekend – was the instigator of everything good about City's free attacking play, scoring the first goal and netting the second.
The hosts worked the opener from wide as under-fire Ilkay Gundogan floated into space before dropping a cross towards the head of De Bruyne, who worked the ball onto the foot of Bernardo Silva for a simple tap-in.
If City lacked confidence after a run of four straight league defeats, it didn't show. Chris Wood missed at one end before Jeremy Doku punished at the other, ghosting into the box to save De Bruyne as he flew past Matz Sels. Forest suffered a setback and the pattern continued after the break. Erling Haaland entered the pitch before playing a perfectly weighted pass into the path of Doku to score his first goal since October and take three crucial points as City closed the gap on leaders Liverpool to nine points.
0' The match is about to start!
5' First chance when De Bruyne crossed and Haaland's first attempt was parried
8' De Bruyne heads towards goal and Silva hits the target! Manchester City 1-0 Nottingham Forest
15' Silva gives a cross and it goes over Haaland, but not over Gvardiol, who heads wide
17' Gibbs-White's first attack from close to the penalty spot is saved by Ortega
21' Gvardiol runs onto Erling Haaland's through ball, but then goes wide
25' Highlight of Man City vs Nottingham Forest
29' Chris Wood missed a HUGE chance after De Bruyne made a mistake
32' KDB doubles the lead with a beautiful strike! Manchester City 2-0 Nottingham Forest
35' match event for Man City vs Nottingham Forest
38' Elanga tries to curl the ball inside the far post, but cannot get enough bend into it
39' Nicolas Dominguez has a shot blocked by Jack Grealish
46' Forest defender Dominguez attacks Haaland from behind and receives a yellow card
46' Kyle Walker replaces Manuel Akanji at the back at Manchester City
50' Gundogan fouls Morgan Gibbs-White to stop a Forest counter and is shown a yellow card
55' Murillo, seconds after that good shot, cuts down Haaland and gets a yellow card
57' Doku cuts inside before curling a beauty into the net! Man City 3-0 Forest
58' Grealish is pushed over by hairy Jota Silva for a free-kick into the shooting range
60' Gundogan stops the ball so that De Bruyne shoots just wide
65' Highlight of Man City vs Nottingham Forest
67' match event for Man City vs Nottingham Forest
72' Highlight of Man City vs Nottingham Forest
75' Man City replaces Kevin de Bruyne with Rico Lewis
83' Highlight of Man City vs Nottingham Forest
89' Nathan Aké goes down injured for City
92' match event for Man City vs Nottingham Forest
Setups
Man City XI: Gundogan, De Bruyne, Stefan Ortega, Ake, Grealish, Ruben Dias, Bernardo, Akanji, Haaland, Jérémy Doku, Josko Gvardiol
Subs: Carson, Walker, Ederson, Matheus Nunes, James McAtee, Rico Lewis, Savinho, Nico O'Reilly, Jacob Wright
Nottingham Forest XI: Wood, Sels, Álex Moreno, Aina, Milenkovic, Gibbs-White, Ryan Yates, Dominguez, Jota Silva, Anthony Elanga, Murillo
Subs: Ward-Prowse, Taiwo Awoniyi, Elliot Anderson, Hudson-Odoi, Neco Williams, Carlos Miguel, Morato, Ramón Sosa, Eric da Silva Moreira
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