Sports
Visitors move top of the Premier League after Rayan Cherki impresses
Manchester City moved to the top of the Premier League for at least a few hours after emerging 2-1 winners against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Saturday.
Rayan Cherki continued his fine recent form for City, setting up Tijjani Reijnders for the opening goal before netting the winner himself after Omari Hutchinson had earlier levelled for Forest.
The result sees Pep Guardiola’s side maintain their eight-game winning run to leapfrog title rivals Arsenal at the summit of the table – temporarily at least – with the Gunners taking on Brighton later in the day.
In what was an even first 45 minutes at the City Ground, the hosts created the first chance when a teasing Callum Hudson-Odoi cross somehow evaded both Igor Jesus and Morgan Gibbs-White six yards from goal.
The two Forest players appeared to get in each other’s way as the ball bounced harmlessly out of play.
The remainder of the half yielded very few clear-cut openings, but the game exploded into life almost immediately after the restart.
A sublime Cherki reverse pass fed Reijnders in the box and the Dutchman made no mistake, sweeping into the far corner under the onrushing John Victor.
Cherki nearly then went from provider to scorer moments later, but Victor was equal to the effort, palming away the Frenchman’s shot from a tight angle.
However, just when it looked like City might add to their tally, Forest hit back after a devastating counter attack that ended with Jesus’ chipped cross being fired in by Hutchinson at the far post.
The game had suddenly opened up. Some fine footwork from Phil Foden in the Forest box opened up a shooting chance but again Victor was on hand to beat the ball away.
But the Forest keeper could do little to stop Cherki’s half-volley that nestled into the bottom corner with just eight minutes remaining.
From a corner, the ball fell to the increasingly influential playmaker just inside the box and he did well to keep the strike low and spark jubilant scenes in the away end and dugout.
