Nottingham Forest 1-2 Manchester City
Premier League match report: Pep Guardiola’s side took the points to go top of the Premier League for a couple of hours at least, but were made to dig extremely deep against hosts who showed no fear in the face of their exalted opposition. Ben Fisher reports from the City Ground on a day when the memory of Forest legend John Robertson was celebrated by all present …
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Pep Guardiola: "Forest are an incredible team"
“All the kilos I won over Christmas time in weight, today I lost it,” says City’s head coach in an interview with TNT Sports. “I am fit again. What a team San Dyche has made again. That’s a really, really, really big three points.
“Forest are an incredible team, the way that they play they do it unbelievably. Igor wins all of the balls. They have a top quality team, This team was in the Champions League but for one or two games last season and now in European competitions. A fantastic team and tough place to come, and at winter time.
“We talked a lot about this in the last few days with the players. Winter time, at Nottingham Forest, you have to be there, there, there. Today if we are not ready then we do not win that game. The mentality was unbelievable, so really pleased again for the guys.”
Rayan Cherki: "The game was not simple"
“When the games come we need just one thing: to win,” says the scorer of City’s winner. “We take the points because the championship is so long and so hard, so today is a big win. The next game is very important for us and we are ready.”
On scoring the winner: “It’s good for the team because the game was not simple. I am very proud of the team because the championship is so long and the win is for them so we need to enjoy.”
Tijani Reijnders: "We are on the hunt"
“We know a lot of clubs suffer here,” says the City midfielder in an interview with TNT Sports. “From what I heard Nottingham Forest at home is always difficult, and yes I felt it as well. It’s a very important win and we are on the hunt.
“They made the spaces really tight so it was very difficult to find the free man in between the lines. In the second half we made some changes to the formation and we could find the free man more often.”
On his goal: “I had to play higher on the pitch [in the second half], so they had more difficulties choosing who to get. The goal was a perfect example of this. Of course Cherki knows how to find those passes and I could finish that one. He is very good, he finds spaces and when he gets the ball you have to be ready and in position.”
On Pep: “Yes he is very intense but he makes us all better players. For me now I’m here four or five months, you look differently at the game. I want to learn more and more and more.”
That City winner: So let’s pick through the bones of that City winner to see if Nottingham Forest had any right to feel aggrieved with it being allowed. As the ball arced towards and beyond the far post on to the head of Gvardiol, Morgan Gibbs-White went to ground near the upright, apparently having been fouled by Nico O’Reilly.
He wasn’t, is the short version. Looking at replays, it seems to me that as the ball was in the air, Gibbs-White backed into O’Reilly, who didn’t yield an inch, prompting the Forest No10 to go to ground. He wasn’t playacting, he just lost his balance. By the time Rayan Cherki struck his shot goalwards, Gibbs-White was back on his feet and the ball went through his legs.
Funnily enough, if he’d just stayed on the ground, he might even have blocked the shot. Any talk that he was wrestled to the ground by O’Reilly seems spurious – at worst, the City defender leaned into Gibbs-White.
Saturday clockwatch: Scott Murray will be keeping tabs on proceedings from today’s three o’clock kick-offs in the Premier League, Scotland and Afcon.
Manchester City go top. Arsenal fans will have been monitoring proceedings from the City Ground with interest and will be gutted that Nottingham Forest didn’t get the point their performance deserved. The win takes City two points clear of Arsenal for a couple of hours at least, while Forest remain five points and one point clear of the drop zone. On the evidence of this afternoon’s performance, you wouldn’t give them a snowball’s chance in hell of them getting relegated.
Nottingham Forest 1-2 Manchester City
Full time: That was an outstanding second half in which both teams gave extremely good accounts of themselves. Manchester City had to dig extremely deep to take all three points and while they may leave the City Ground having seen their team end the game with nothing, Nottingham Forest fans should be very pleased with the collective performance of players who left everything out on the pitch on an afternoon when club legend John Robertson was fondly remembered.
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90+5 min: Facing his own goal, Nathan Ake does well to hook the ball downfield over his own head as Forest launch another last-ditch attack. It’s all over and Manchester City have won, but only just.
90+4 min: Haaland picks up the ball on the halfway line but surrenders possession under pressure as he waits for support to arrive.
90+3 min: Forest are struggling to get the ball but manage to get themselves up the pitch after Foden coughs up possession deep in the opposition half.
90+1 min: City have the ball and are trying to see out the game. Will Forest get a chance to rescue the point their performance surely deserves? They have four minutes. Forest substitution: Dilane Bakwa comes on for Callum Hudson-Odoi.
88 min: Nottingham Forest substitution: Taiwo Awoniyi on for Dominguez. Manchester City substitution: Nathan Ake on for Cherki.
85 min: Forest are unhappy with that goal being allowed, citing what they perceive to have been a Nico O’Reilly foul on Gibbs-White near the post where the ball went in, as Gvardiol teed up Cherki with an excellent downward header. I don’t know if there’s any substance to their claim but Gibbs-White was back on his feet as Cherki pulled the trigger.
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GOAL! Nottingham Forest 1-2 Man City (Cherki 83)
City lead again! Phil Foden sends his corner deep. Gvardiol heads it down into the path of Cherki, who blasts a low shot through traffic and the legs of Morgan Gibbs-White into the bottom corner from just inside the penalty area. It’s a brilliant finish.
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82 min: City corner. Cherki’s delivery is headed out for another corner by Murillo.
81 min: Into the final 10 minutes we go and it’s anyone’s guess as to how this match will pan out. As things stand, I wouldn’t expect a great deal of added time as there have been very few stoppages in this helter-skelter second half.
80 min: City corner. Phil Foden overhits his delivery towards the far post and the ball sails out of play for a Forest throw-in.
77 min: City midfielder Nico Gonzalez tries his luck with a shot from distance that sails high over the bar.
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75 min: Forest win a free-kick and hoy the ball forward, whereupon Milenkovic wins a corner when his shot is blocked and put out by Gvardiol.
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74 min: Pep Guardiola gets booked for some indiscretion or other.
72 min: Excellent close control by Phil Foden, who combines with Cherki before unleashing a shot from six yards. In the Forest goal, John Victor saves superbly with his outstretched left foot. City substitution: Savinho on for Tijani Reijnders.
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71 min: The ball breaks for Haaland in the Forest penalty area and he swivels to try and volley it goalwards. He’s unable to get his foot over it and sends the ball high into the stand behind the goal.
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69 min: This is breathless stuff, with all present at the City Ground being served up a real festive treat. Forest can smell blood and their visitors look extremely rattled. In midfield for the hosts, Elliot Anderson is putting on an absolute masterclass, spraying the ball hither and yon as he picks out teammates at will.
67 min: Tijani Reijnders fails to pick out a teammate with a low cross into the box and Forest surge forward in numbers again. City manage to get back to repel them.
64 min: This match remains on a knife-edge and Forest break forward again after a mistake by Ruben Dias, who miscontrolled a no-nonsense agricultural Callum Hudson-Odoi clearance down the field. Gibbs-White tees up Elliot Anderson with a neat flick and the midfielder’s rising drive from distance needs some saving from Donnarumma. The ball breaks to Savona, who shoots over the bar and is immediately penalised for being offside. He wasn’t.
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61 min: Forest get the ball wide to Savona and he works it into the penalty area after getting the better of O’Reilly, who is now on a yellow card. Igor Jesus wins a corner for his team and Donnarumma’s one-handed punch when the ball curls his way is anything but convincing. City get away with it.
59 min: It’s real end-to-end stuff in a game that’s descended into something resembling total chaos, as if at the flick of a switch. Forest win a free-kick just outside the angle of the City penalty area for a Nico O’Reilly foul on the goalscorer. Hutchinson’s delivery is dismal and an excellent chance for Forest to get the ball into the City penalty area goes to waste.
57 min: Morgan Gibbs'-White contribution to that equaliser canoot be overstated. It was he who snatched the ball when Reijnders appeared to lose his balance while stretching for it outside the Forest penalty area, and also he who received a return pass from Hudson-Odoi before playing a delightful ball to Jesus, who provided the assist.
GOAL! Nottingham Forest 1-1 Man City (Hutchinson 54)
How about that? Forest break upfield on the counter after Rejnders miscontrols the ball. Morgan Gibbs-White threads a wonderfully weighted ball towards Igor Jesus near the byline and he picks out the completely unmarked Omari Hutchinson, who scores on the half-volley from about 15 yards out. It’s a lovely move and an outstanding finish.
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52 min: Cherki takes the corner and sends the ball into the mixer. Forest win a free-kick for some barely discernible act of malfeasance by a City player, possibly Gvardiol.
50 min: Rayan Cherki almost doubles City’s lead, advancing through the left side of the Forest box and unleashing a shot from a narrow angle. John Victor saves well and the ball goes out for a corner off Neco Williams. From that, City win another.
GOAL! Nottingham Forest 0-1 Man City (Reijnders 48)
City lead! Tijani Reijnders times his run to perfection as he darts across the Forest penalty area on to a cunningly disguised ball in behind from Cherki and prods it past John Victor. It’s a gut-punch for Forest.
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46 min: Igor Jesus has his heels clipped unintentionally by Ruben Dias as the Forest striker runs across the City defender’s path while both of them watched a high ball. He claims Dias should get a second yellow card but Forest have to settle for a free-kick.
Second half: Nottingham Forest 0-0 Man City
46 min: Play resumes with no changes in personnel on either side.
Half-time: Nottingham Forest 0-0 Man City
Peep! Referee Rob Jones whistles for the break and both sets of players adjourn to their dressing-rooms. There’s no doubt that Sean Dyche will be the happier of the two gaffers, having seen his side defend stoutly off the ball, while getting it wide to Forest’s wingers whenever they are in possession. Upfront, Igor Jesus has been nothing short of a menace and is causing Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol all sorts of problems. For City, Erling Haaland has been starved of oppportunities and is little more than a passenger but obviously that could change in a second-half instant.
45+1 min: With rain pouring down at the City Ground, the first half draws to a close. City have been outstanding in the face of their exalted visitors, with Igor Jesus proving a real handful for City’s defenders. It’s half-time …
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42 min: Milenkovic picks out Williams with an excellent crossfield pass. The Welshman slips the ball to Murillo, who gives it away to Cherki with a poor touch. Elliot Anderson is booked as he and Murillo dive in to try to prevent Cherki waltzing goalwards.
41 min: Nico O’Reilly sends a low cross from the left into the Forest box but it’s hacked clear by Milenkovic. Moments later, Bernardo Silva gets in on the crossing action and this time it’s Murillo who hoofs the ball upfield.
39 min: Neco Williams sends a cross from the left through the City penalty area but there’s nobody wearing a red shirt in the vicinity to steer it goalwards.
37 min: Free-kick for City, about 35 yards from the City goal. The ball is played wide to Hutchinson but ends up going out for a City goal-kick a few seconds later after he overhits a pass to Savona.
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36 min: Josko Gvardiol does well to avoid a booking after putting a stop to a promising Forest attack by grabbing a generous handful of Igor Jesus’s shirt. Play resumes and moments later, Ruben Dias gets booked for dissent.
33 min: Forest are giving Manchester City far more to think about this afternoon than I expected and have had the best chance of the game to date. It’s an absorbing encounter without being thrilling but if the hosts could score the opening goal it would certainly put the Christmas cat among the Pep pigeons.
30 min: From that set-piece, they win another one but before they can take it, there’s a bit of argy-bargy between Milenkovic and Ruben Dias for the ref to sort out. Omari Huthinson’s delivery is short to Anderson, whose cross is awful. A short corner? Woke nonsense!!!
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29 min: Hutchinson picks out Savona on the overlap and the Forest full-back tries to drill a low cross into the penalty area. Gvardiol puts it out for a corner.
27 min: In a blow for both Chris Wood and Nottingham Forest, it has been revealed that the New Zealand striker has suffered a setback from the knee injury that has kept him sidelined for the past two months and has had to undergo further surgery. Having been back training on the grass, it seems he’s back to square one and will be out indefinitely.
25 min: Forest free-kick, in line with the right side of the City penalty area. The ball’s played wide to Hutchinson, whose cross is headed clear.
25 min: Neco Williams and then Murillo combine to prevent Rayan Cherki playing Haaland in behind on goal after a promising attack by City.
22 min: City continue to dominate possession but Forest’s frontmen are pressing them hard, refusing to allow them much time on the ball as they attempt to get it forward.
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21 min: Erling Haaland gets his first sight of goal and shoots but his effort is blocked by Milenkovic.
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20 min: They may be 17th in the table, just one place above the relegation zone but on the evidence of these opening 20 minutes, Forest are – whisper it – far too good to go down.
18 min: Gibbs-White receives the ball to feet with his back to the City goal, spins Josko Gvardiol and darts upfield leaving the bamboozled Croatian in his wake. The ball ends up with Elliot Anderson out on the right flank but his cross is cleared.
16 min: Nico O’Reilly, Tijani Reijnders and Bernardo Silva combine to good effect down the left flank but a promising City attack fizzles out into nowt as Nicolo Savona shepherds the ball out for a Forest goal-kick.
14 min: Gvardiol plays a low pass through the centre for Foden, who comes this close to playing Haaland in behind as he quickly helps the ball on its way upfield. I think it was Murillo who made the the crucial interception as Haaland’s eyes lit up in anticipation.
12 min: Omari Hutchinson takes a corner for Forest, curling the ball towards the far post. City head it clear. Forest are doing well, here.
10 min: There’s a VAR check for a possible spot-kick as Rayan Cherki goes down in the Forest penalty area under a challenge from Nikola Milenkovic. It looked like a good tackle to me and in the Stockley Park bunker, video assistant referee Andy Madley is of the same opinion.
9 min: If Igor Jesus hadn’t stretched every sinew to try to connect with that Hudson-Odoi cross, you’d have bet the farm on Gibbs-White volleying past Donnarumma.
7 min: Igor Jesus sends Omari Hutchinson on his way down the right flank but the Forest winger runs into traffic and is forced backwards. The passage of play continues and moments later, Callum Hudson-Odoi curls a splendid cross towards the far post from the left. Jesus and Morgan Gibbs-White seem to get in each other’s way as they attempt to connect with the delivery and the ball curls wide. That was a big chance for Forest!
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6 min: Matheus Nunes advances down the right for City but has the ball stolen from him by Nicolas Dominguez, who boots it forward to alleviate the pressure on Forest.
4 min: Morgan Gibbs-White loses the ball halfway inside the City half and City advance again. On the touchline, Pep is already gesticulating furiously like a traffic policeman on amphetamines.
3 min: City get the collective foot on the ball and start to dominate possession in these early stages as they press and probe, looking for an opening.
2 min: Forest are in their usual home kit, while the players of City wear grey shirts and shorts with luminous yellow trim and similarly arresting socks.
Nottingham Forest v Man City is go ...
1 min: Manchester City get the ball rolling and it’s immediately played back to Gianluigi Donnarumma, who launches it upfield. Forest win it back, advance upfield and get a throw-in deep in City territory.
John Robertson remembered: There’s a raucous and prolonged pre-match round of applause punctuated by chants of “Robbo! Robbo! Robbo!” for the late Forest legend, who is described by the City Ground announcer as “a true great”.
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Not long now: Soundtracked by Welcome To The Jungle, referee Rob Jones and his fellow match officials lead both sets of players out on to the City Ground pitch, where there’ll be a tribute to the late John ‘Robbo’ Robertson ahead of kick-off. There are no shortage of flags bearing the late, great winger’s image to be seen in the stands.
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Sean Dyche on the death of John Robertson
“What a guy and what a legendary player,” says the Forest head coach in an interview with TNT Sports. “It’s a bad loss and a sore loss for everyone concerned at Nottingham Forest Football Club and our thoughts and condolences go out to his family, of course.”
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Today’s match officials
Referee: Rob Jones
Assistants: Neil Davies and Nick Greenhalgh
Fourth official: Gavin Ward
VAR: Andy Madley
Assistant VAR: Dan Robathan
Those teams: Nicolas Dominguez comes in for Douglas Luiz as Forest’s only change to the team that lined up against Fulham last time out, while the same 11 players who started for City in their win over West Ham all passed their Boxing Day weigh-in and have been picked to do battle again.
Nottingham Forest v Man City line-ups
Nottingham Forest: John Victor, Williams, Murillo, Milkenkovic, Savona, Anderson, Dominguez, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi, Hutchinson, Igor Jesus
Subs: Sels, Morato, Awoniyi, Luiz, Kalimuendo, McAtee, Bakwa, Zinchenko
Manchester City: Donnarumma, Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly, Nico, Bernardo, Reijnders, Foden, Cherki, Haaland
Subs: Trafford, Ake, Rodri, Savinho, Khusanov, McAidoo, Mukasa, Lewis, R. Heskey
John Robertson remembered
Nottingham Forest: A player who was adored by Forest fans and made Nottingham his permanent home, expect reverential tribute to be paid to the late John Robertson at the City Ground ahead of kick-off this afternoon. Genuine tears of sorrow will be shed as Forest supporters bid farewell to one of their greatest ever players, whose death at the age of 72 was reported on Christmas Day.
A key member of the Forest team Brian Clough marched from the second tier to the very summit of European football, this incredibly talented Scottish winger may not have looked much like an elite athlete but played an instrumental role in helping Forest win two European Cups and represented his country 28 times.
Paying tribute to Robertson’s stellar service with the club, Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis said he has recommended that the City Ground’s Bridgford Stand be renamed The John Robertson Stand in Robbo’s honour and “in lasting recognition of his extraordinary contribution to our club, so that his legacy – and our great hero – will forever be remembered”.
Early team news
Chris Wood remains sidelined for Forest but is back gambolling on the grass as he recovers from the knee injury that has kept him out since mid-October. Ola Aina is also out, while Dan Doye and Ryan Yates were facing late fitness tests. Ibrahim Sangare and Willy Boly are both away in Morocco representing the Ivory Coast at Afcon.
Manchester City are without Rayan Ait Nouri (Algeria) and Omar Marmoush (Egypt), who are both at Afcon, while Jeremy Doku is expected to miss out today with an ankle injury. John Stones, Oscar Bobb, Rodri and Mateo Kovacic are also unavailable.
Premier League: Nottingham Forest v Man City
Hello there. It’s the festive period, which means two things: you’re not sure what day it is and there’s lots of football being played. Manchester City arrive in Nottingham like a relentless blue superthing that has finally hit fifth gear. Having spent yesterday weighing his players like precious metals in a bid to gleefully seize upon any evidence of Christmas Day over-indulgence, Pep Guardiola is chasing an eighth straight win. With Erling Haaland back to his terrifying best and Rayan Cherki pulling strings like a puppet master, City know victory will nudge them above Arsenal to the Premier League summit, at least for a few hours.
Standing in their way are Nottingham Forest, who are hovering uncomfortably above the trapdoor in 17th place but have won six of their past nine in all competitions and emerged victorious from this fixture last season. In Sean Dyche they have a head coach who views 30% possession and a bruising set-piece goal as the highest form of art. Will it be a post-Christmas stroll for the visitors, or will Dychey take great glee in ruining Pep’s festive fun? Kick-off is at 12.30pm (GMT) and we’ll have team news and build-up in the meantime.
