Recap

Late Cherki strike earns Manchester City a 2-1 victory at the City Ground

• Manchester City beat Nottingham Forest 2-1 thanks to a decisive Rayan Cherki volley in the 83rd minute after Tijjani Reijnders had put City ahead early in the second half and Omari Hutchinson had equalised shortly afterwards, in a game played at the City Ground on 27 December 2025.

Match summary and key moments

• First half: tight and cagey — Neither side managed a shot on target in the opening 45 minutes as the match began as a tactical and low-event affair with chances at a premium and both teams probing for openings rather than committing numbers forward.
• 46′ — Reijnders opens the scoring: three minutes after the break, Tijjani Reijnders put Manchester City in front, finishing a well-crafted City move to make it 1-0 and give Pep Guardiola’s side the breakthrough they had been seeking.
• 52′ — Hutchinson answers for Forest: Nottingham Forest responded quickly when Omari Hutchinson tapped in from close range to level the score six minutes after City’s opener, restoring parity and setting up a tense final half-hour.
• 83′ — Cherki winner: Rayan Cherki, who had been heavily involved in City’s attacking play, produced the decisive moment late on by drilling a low volley through a crowded penalty area into the net to make it 2-1 and seal three points for City.
• Shot and chance profile: City’s goal from Reijnders reportedly came from their first shot on target, underlining how limited clear chances had been for both sides until the second half; Cherki’s late finish was a high-quality, low-driven strike that ultimately separated the teams.
• Refereeing/controversy: post-match highlights and coverage show heated moments and an appeal for a possible penalty late in the game, but the decisive sequence remained Cherki’s strike and there were no overturned decisions that changed the scoreline.

Tactical notes and individual performances

• Manchester City approach: City began cautiously but were clinical once the half-time interval provided space to impose themselves; the opening goal came early in the second half from a well-constructed move, and City’s patience paid off with a late winner that emphasised quality in the final third.
• Rayan Cherki (City): Cherki emerged as the match-winner, both creating and finishing decisive action — he provided the assist for Reijnders’ opener and later produced the match-winning volley, showing his influence on both creativity and finishing.
• Tijjani Reijnders (City): Reijnders’ composed finish three minutes after the break gave City the lead and demonstrated his ability to arrive in the box and finish a polished attacking move.
• Omari Hutchinson (Forest): Hutchinson’s equaliser in the 52nd minute gave Forest a lifeline and showcased his capacity to punish defensive lapses from major opponents; it was described as a close-range finish and marked an important moment in his Premier League contributions against top teams.
• Goalkeeping and defensive notes: Both keepers were called into action at different points, but the decisive moments were created in and around the penalty area rather than as a result of goalkeeping errors; highlights indicate both goalkeepers made saves and the match featured aerial and crowded box situations prior to the Cherki finish.

Context and consequences

• City’s December run and league position: The win was described in match coverage as City ending the year in style and extending their winning run, becoming a perfect end to December for the club and moving them to the top of the Premier League table ahead of Arsenal’s game later that afternoon.
• Forest response and credit: Nottingham Forest produced a spirited showing, equalising quickly after going behind and creating pressure on City, but ultimately could not hold on as City’s quality in front of goal prevailed late.

Notable quotes and broadcast reaction

• Club and media summaries emphasise Cherki’s late strike as a moment of individual brilliance that clinched an important away victory for City, while commentators and highlight packages noted the low number of first-half chances and the swing of momentum in the early second half.

Match chronology (selected timeline)

• 0–45′ — First half ends scoreless; limited clear-cut chances and no shots on target recorded in the opening period.
• 46′ — Tijjani Reijnders (Manchester City) scores to make it 1-0 three minutes after the restart.
• 52′ — Omari Hutchinson (Nottingham Forest) equalises from close range to make it 1-1 six minutes after City’s opener.
• 83′ — Rayan Cherki (Manchester City) volleys home the winner to make it 2-1 and secure all three points for City.
• 90+ — Full-time: Manchester City 2, Nottingham Forest 1.

Where this match featured in coverage

• Official Premier League media and club outlets produced match recaps and highlight packages describing the late Cherki winner and the 2-1 scoreline; Manchester City’s official site carried a report headlined “City end the year in style with late win at Forest,” echoing the Premier League’s recap narrative.
• Broadcast highlights (NBC Sports and other highlight packages) picked out Cherki’s strike as the decisive moment and replayed the key sequences — Reijnders’ composed early second-half finish, Hutchinson’s quick reply, and Cherki’s low volley through a crowded area that ultimately decided the contest.

Final notes and tactical implication

• Managerial perspective: For Pep Guardiola, the win reinforced City’s end-of-year momentum and highlighted the squad depth and match-winning talent available beyond the regular starters; for Forest, the match underlined the team’s resilience at home but also the fine margins against top opposition.
• Key takeaway: A first-half stalemate gave way to an explosive short period after half-time and a late, high-quality finish — Rayan Cherki’s 83rd-minute volley proved the difference in a match where moments, not volume of chances, decided the result.