Regular service resumed at the Eithad Stadium as Manchester City arrested their recent slump by thumping Nottingham Forest 3-0.
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-flowing attacking play, crafting the first goal and scoring the second.
The hosts worked the opener from wide, as under-fire Ilkay Gundogan floated into space before dinking a cross towards the head of De Bruyne, who worked the ball onto the foot of Bernardo Silva for a simple tap-in.
Jeremy Doku scored his first goal since early October
If City were devoid of confidence, on a baron run of four straight league defeats, it did not show. Chris Wood missed a one-vs-one with Stefan Ortega at one end, before Jeremy Doku punished at the other, ghosting into the box to tee up De Bruyne as he swept beyond Matz Sels.
Forest were facing a backlash of sorts, and the pattern continued after the break.
Erling Haaland powered upfield before playing a perfectly-weighted pass into the path of Doku to score his first goal since early October and wrap up three crucial points, with City reducing the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool – who drew 3-3 at Newcastle – to nine. Is there life in this title race yet?
