Man City vs Nottingham Forest used to be a fixture most people scrolled past on the calendar without a second thought. Not anymore. Honestly, the gap between the "Big Six" and the rest of the pack is shrinking, and nothing proves that more than the absolute dogfight we saw at the City Ground on December 27, 2025.
Manchester City walked away with a 2-1 win, but if you just look at the scoreline, you're missing the real story.
It was freezing. The atmosphere was hostile. And for about 80 minutes, it looked like Sean Dyche—who has turned Forest into a genuinely annoying team to play against—was going to snatch a point from Pep Guardiola’s title-chasers. City needed a moment of pure individual brilliance from Rayan Cherki to escape with the win.
The December Clash: What Actually Went Down
The first half was, to put it bluntly, a bit of a slog. Neither team registered a single shot on target. It was the kind of tactical chess match that only a coach could love.
But things exploded right after the break.
Tijjani Reijnders, who has been a revelation since joining City, broke the deadlock in the 48th minute. It was a smooth finish, set up by Cherki, who was basically everywhere on the pitch. You’d think City would just coast from there, right? Wrong.
Forest hit back almost immediately.
Igor Jesus, the Brazilian striker who has been filling in for the injured Chris Wood, showed some serious silk. He clipped a cross to the back post, and Omari Hutchinson—a kid who’s really starting to find his feet at this level—smashed it home. The City Ground went nuclear.
Why Rayan Cherki Is the Talk of the Town
If you haven't been watching Man City lately, you need to pay attention to Cherki. He’s the reason Man City vs Nottingham Forest ended the way it did.
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With seven minutes left on the clock, Josko Gvardiol (who had a monster of a game defensively) headed a corner down toward the edge of the box. Cherki didn't even hesitate. He caught it on the half-volley, and the ball whistled through a crowd of players into the bottom corner.
- Goals: 1
- Assists: 1
- Key Passes: 3
- Take-ons completed: 4
He’s currently sitting at seven assists for the season, tied at the top of the league with Bruno Fernandes. For a 22-year-old summer signing, that’s insane.
The Head-to-Head Reality
Historically, City has dominated this matchup, but the recent numbers show Forest is becoming a "banana skin" team for the champions.
Take a look at the last five meetings:
- Dec 2025: Forest 1 - 2 Man City (A late Cherki winner)
- April 2025: Forest 0 - 2 Man City (FA Cup Semi-final at Wembley)
- March 2025: Forest 1 - 0 Man City (A massive upset that nearly derailed City's season)
- Dec 2024: Man City 3 - 0 Forest (A comfortable win at the Etihad)
- April 2024: Forest 0 - 2 Man City (The game where Chris Wood missed those sitters)
Forest has won once in the last year against City. That’s more than a lot of other teams can say. Sean Dyche has instilled a "never say die" attitude that makes these games much closer than the squad values would suggest. City’s squad is worth over €1.1 billion. Forest’s is a fraction of that. Yet, on the pitch, the difference often comes down to one or two moments of quality.
Tactical Breakdown: How Dyche Almost Bored Pep to Death
Sean Dyche didn't try to outplay City. That would be suicide. Instead, he set Forest up in a compact 4-2-3-1 that focused on squeezing the space between the midfield and defense.
Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo were rocks at the back. They forced Erling Haaland into one of his quietest games of the season. Haaland only had one real chance the entire afternoon, and he ended up blocking a shot from his own teammate, Phil Foden, by accident.
Forest’s plan was simple:
- Stay narrow.
- Let City have the ball on the wings (where they are less dangerous).
- Hit them on the break using the pace of Hudson-Odoi and Hutchinson.
It worked for 83 minutes. City had 68% possession but looked completely toothless for large stretches. It took Gvardiol moving into a more advanced role and Cherki’s clinical finishing to break the wall.
What This Means for the Table
As of early 2026, the Premier League title race is a three-way sprint between Arsenal, Manchester City, and Aston Villa.
Arsenal currently leads the pack with 49 points after 21 games. City is breathing down their necks with 43 points, sitting in second place. A loss or even a draw against Forest would have been catastrophic for Pep.
On the flip side, Nottingham Forest is in a scrap of their own. They’re sitting in 17th place with 21 points. They are only seven points clear of the relegation zone. Every point matters for them, which is why the heartbreak of that 83rd-minute goal was so visible on the players' faces.
Key Absences That Changed the Game
You have to wonder if the result would’ve been different if both teams were at full strength.
- Forest misses: Chris Wood (injury), Ola Aina (injury), and Ibrahim Sangaré (international duty).
- City misses: Rodri (coming back from injury, only made the bench), John Stones, and Oscar Bobb.
Missing Rodri is always a problem for City. Nico Gonzalez worked hard, but he doesn't have that same "gravity" that Rodri provides in the center of the park. It allowed Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White to find pockets of space that usually don't exist against City.
Looking Ahead: The Return Fixture
The next time we see Man City vs Nottingham Forest is scheduled for March 4, 2026. This one will be back at the Etihad Stadium.
Expect Forest to play even more defensively. If they can frustrate City for a half at the City Ground, they’ll try to do it for 90 minutes in Manchester. City, however, should have Rodri back in the starting XI by then, which usually means they control the rhythm of the game much better.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts:
- Watch the Wing-Backs: In the next matchup, keep an eye on Josko Gvardiol. His ability to act as a "secret" playmaker is what unlocked Forest last time.
- Monitor the Injury List: If Chris Wood is back for Forest, their goal threat triples. Igor Jesus is good, but Wood’s physicality is a nightmare for Ruben Dias.
- Betting Angle: If you're into that, the "Under 2.5 goals" market has been surprisingly consistent in this fixture lately, despite City's reputation for high scoring.
- Cherki Tracker: If Rayan Cherki continues this form, he’s a lock for Young Player of the Season. Watch how Forest tries to double-team him in the return leg.
The rivalry isn't a traditional one, but the tactical friction between Guardiola’s perfectionism and Dyche’s pragmatism makes every Man City vs Nottingham Forest game a must-watch for anyone who actually likes the "gritty" side of football.