Manchester City 3, Nottingham Forest 0
Kevin De Bruyne’s scoring return to Manchester City inspired them to end their seven match winless run at the expense of Nottingham Forest.
Bernardo Silva steadied nerves with a goal after 8 minutes set up by Kevin De Bruyne before De Bruyne doubled the lead after 31 minutes before Jeremy Doku made it 3-0 in the second half.
Manchester City got off to a flying start with a goal by Bernardo Silva after he tapped in De Bruyne’s goal bound header from Ilkay Gundogan’s cutback.
With De Bruyne on song during his first start since September City certainly looked better than they had recently but errors were never far from the agenda as Josko Gvardiol gifted a great chance to score to Morgan Gibbs-White after he lost a duel with Jota.
De Bruyne soon got himself on the scoresheet by turning and shooting past Matz Sels after receiving Jeremy Doku’s pass in the 31st minute.
Kyle Walker replaced the injured Manuel Akanji at half time and he twice blocked Forest attempts to get a shot on goal.
City scored their third after 57 minutes when Erling Haaland spotted Jeremy Doku in space and picked him out – the Belgian raced up the left flank and cut inside while Haaland barrelled up field at speed, distracting Forest defenders while the Belgian simply thrashed in a shot from 16 yards to make it 3-0.
De Bruyne saw a free kick deflected wide and Doku hit another shot over the bar as City went for a fourth but were content with just winning without drama although they may rue potential injuries to Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake.
Embed from Getty ImagesPLAYER RATINGS – Manchester City 3, Nottingham Forest 0
Stefan Ortega: 7. No shortage of drama for the German. One handed save from Morgan Gibbs-White and got lucky as Chris Wood somehow missed the target when clean through. Saved from Anthny Elanga.
Josko Gvardiol: 6. Sent header wide and screwed a one on one with Matz Sels wide but lost a duel with Jota that almost set up a Nottingham Forest equaliser.
Nathan Ake: 6. Involved in the build up. Had to go off injured with possible hamstring issue late on which will be a blow.
Ruben Dias: 6. Left in the dust as Chris Wood ran through on goal but somehow missed the target.
Manuel Akanji: 6. Stationed at right back after both Kyle Walker ad Rico Lewis were rested. Was struggling at the end of the first half after a torrid time against Anthony Elanga who wore him down.
Ilkay Gundogan: 6. Great instincts to get forward and cut the ball back to set up the goal but not great at stemming Nottingham Forest attacks and was booked for a shirt pull on Morgan Gibbs-White in second half.
Kevin De Bruyne: 9. Looked good in early stages, a cross set up Erling Haaland nicely but the Norwegian could not convert it. He did set up Bernardo Silva’s goal before grabbing City’s second goal which he made look easy from 15 yards out. Had a shot saved after Grealish’s earlier effort blocked. Big hug from Pep Guardiola when he was subbed off.
Jack Grealish: 7. A more central role as promised by Pep Guardiola. More involved but watched closely by Ryan Yates in the first half. More freedom in the second half. Had shots blocked in the second half.
Bernardo Silva: 8. Put in shift tonight. Started on the right but was in the six yard box for a tap in when City put together a classic move to open the scoring. Harried the Forest defence and put a great cross in which deserved better header from Josko Gvardiol.
Jeremy Doku: 9. Started wide left but popped up on the right as he and Bernardo Silva swapped flanks. Set up Kevin De Bruyne for City’s second goal before scoring one of his own on a breakway.
Erling Haaland: 7. Early shot saved after square ball by Kevin De Bruyne. Played in Josko Gvardiol for what should have at least been a shot on target. Set up Jeremy Doku and ran interference as the Belgian scored his goal. Blocked by Murillo as he tried to go clear in injury time, blazed another chance over)
Kyle Walker (on for Manuel Akanji, 46): 6. Couple of blocks in opening moments of the second half as Forest tried to get a goal.
Rico Lewis (on for Kevin De Bruyne, 74): 6. On to shore up midfield.
Savinho (on for Jeremy Doku, 90): No time to mark
Matheus Nunes (on for Jack Grealish, 90): No time to mark
James McAtee (on for Nathan Ake, 90): No time to mark
TEAM NEWS – Manchester City 3, Nottingham Forest 0
City made four changes from the defeat at Liverpool.
Stefan Ortega continued in goal for City as Josko Gvardiol, Jack Grealish, Kevin De Bruyne, and Jeremy Doku returned to the starting lineup. Kyle Walker, Rico Lewis, and Matheus Nunes stepped down to the bench. Phil Foden was not in the match day squad as he was suffering with bronchitis.
GOALS – Manchester City 3, Nottingham Forest 0
Man City 1, Nottingham Forest 0: 8. Bernardo Silva had a tap in from close range after Ilkay Gundogan’s cut back was headed goalwards by Kevin De Bruyne and the Portuguese made sure with a close range finish from a couple of yards out.
Man City 2, Nottingham Forest 0: 31. Kevin De Bruyne turned and picked his spot from 15 yards out after he was slid the ball by Jeremy Doku following a cutback by Jack Grealish.
Man City 3, Nottingham Forest 0: 57. Erling Haaland released Jeremy Doku and then distracted Forest defenders with a lung busting run into the area but the Belgian cut inside from the left wing and thrashed in a 16 yard strike.
MATCH STATS – Manchester City 3, Nottingham Forest 0
Man City: Ortega, Gvardiol, Ake (McAtee 90), Dias, Akanji (Walker 46), Gundogan, De Bruyne (C) (Lewis 74), Grealish (Nunes 90), Silva, Doku (Savinho 90), Haaland
Man City Subs not used: Ederson, Carson, Walker, Wright, O’Reilly
Bookings: Gundogan 52 (shirt pull on Morgan Gibbs-White)
Goals: Silva 8; De Bruyne 31; Doku 57
Nottingham Forest: Sels, Aina (Moreira, 63), Murillo, Milenkovic, Moreno, Yates (C) (Morato 46), Dominguez, Jota (Sosa 72), Gibbs-White (Anderson 63), Elanga, Wood (Awoniyi 63)
Nottingham Forest Subs not used: Miguel, Williams, Hudson-Odoi, Ward-Prowse, Sosa
Bookings: Dominguez (foul on Erling Haaland, 45+1); Murillo 54 (foul on Erling Haaland); Milenkovic 76 (foul on Jack Grealish)
Referee: Michael Oliver