Defeating Nottingham, Man City temporarily takes the top spot in the Premier League from Arsenal

The 2-1 win away at Nottingham pushes Man City ahead in the Premier League table, intensifying the challenge for Arsenal in the 2025/26 championship contest.

At Nottingham Forest's stadium, Manchester City entered the match aiming solely for three points to temporarily overtake Arsenal. However, it was not an easy away game as Nottingham started determined and ready to engage in open play.

The first half progressed at a moderate pace but featured several physical challenges. Nottingham clearly focused on wing attacks, while Man City patiently built up play from the back. Both sides created some chances but none were sharp enough to break the deadlock. The most notable moments in the opening 45 minutes were fouls and yellow cards, reflecting a tense and closely contested battle.

In the second half, Man City increased their tempo and quickly achieved their goal. In the 48th minute, from a well-organized attack, Rayan Cherki played a crucial assist for Tijjani Reijnders, who fired a precise low shot to put the visitors ahead. The goal boosted Man City’s confidence, allowing them to maintain pressure on Nottingham’s goal.

Nevertheless, the home side refused to give up easily. In the 54th minute, Igor Jesus delivered a perfect cross for Omari Hutchinson to finish neatly, leveling the score at 1-1. The equalizer gave Nottingham more confidence, while Man City had to reinforce their attacking options.

The following minutes saw the game tilt clearly in Man City’s favor. Phil Foden, Savinho, and Cherki all tested goalkeeper John, who performed excellently with several impressive saves. The climax came in the 83rd minute when from a corner, Josko Gvardiol headed strategically for Cherki to score from close range, making it 2-1 for Man City. Initially, the goal was reviewed by VAR but was ultimately confirmed as valid.

In stoppage time, Nottingham pushed hard for an equalizer but failed. When the final whistle blew, Man City left the pitch with a valuable three points. This victory allowed Pep Guardiola’s team to temporarily lead the table, applying significant pressure on Arsenal and their rivals in the Premier League title race this season.

Team news Nottingham Forest vs Man City

• Nottingham Forest: The hosts will miss Aina, Awoniyi, Yates (injuries), Sangare, Boly (AFCON)
• Man City: Man City are without Rodri, Kovacic, Doku (injuries), Marmoush, Ait-Nouri (AFCON).

Expected lineups Nottingham Forest vs Man City

• Nottingham Forest:Victor; Savona, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Luiz, Anderson; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus.
• Man City: Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Silva, Reijnders, Nico; Cherki, Foden; Haaland.

Form & Head-to-head record Nottingham Forest vs Man City

• Nottingham Forest form: In their last 5 matches, Nottingham Forest won 3, lost 2, scored 6 goals, and conceded 5.
• Man City form: Over the last 5 games, Man City won all 4, scoring 13 goals and conceding just 1.
• Head-to-head record: In the last 5 meetings, Nottingham Forest won 1 and lost 4 against Man City.