Manchester City did not subdue Nottingham Forest with their familiar overwhelming game. They won thanks to a moment right when patience almost reached its limit. In the 83rd minute at City Ground, Rayan Cherki shone to become the hero who decided the match.
When Man City was stuck against Forest's dense defense, Cherki appeared in the right place, launched a neat shot, sending the ball down through the opponent's "foot forest".
Before that, Man City did not play badly, but lacked sharpness. They held the ball more, circulated rhythmically, but continuously encountered resistance from the home team.
The coordination phases, which are a specialty of The Citizens, are fragmented, and strikers rarely have real space in the penalty area.
When Forest equalized in the 54th minute, pressure immediately surged. The match drifted towards the end with the feeling that just one mistake could cause City to drop 2 points. And then Cherki appeared. Before that, Reijnders was the one who opened the score in the 48th minute for the away team.
The victory at City Ground helped Man City temporarily take the top spot, 1 point ahead of Arsenal. But more importantly, it brought Pep Guardiola a new solution.
In the dense schedule period, when fitness is eroded and key players find it difficult to maintain a continuous peak, a factor that can make a difference from small details is a priceless asset for Man City.
It's a bit of a bit of a bit of a bit of a bit of a bit.
