Overview
- Rayan Cherki set up Tijjani Reijnders just after halftime and then struck an 83rd‑minute winner after Omari Hutchinson had leveled for Forest.
- The victory extended Manchester City’s current winning run and left them two points behind leaders Arsenal, per multiple reports.
- Pep Guardiola praised Cherki’s influence, saying there are moments he wants to shout at him and others he wants to kiss him as he seeks to let the playmaker express his talent.
- Guardiola’s post‑match exchange with a cameraman was reported as light‑hearted, recalling a more heated November incident for which he publicly apologized.
- Signed from Lyon in June for about £34 million, Cherki has emerged as a primary creative outlet for City and now heads into a New Year’s Day trip to Sunderland in standout form.