Liam Delap scored twice as Nottingham Forest defeated Manchester City 3–1 at the City Ground on Saturday, November 7. Jair Cunha opened the scoring before Delap struck in each half, with Rayan Cherki providing City’s only reply.
The victory gave Forest their first home Premier League win of the season and took them out of the relegation zone. For City, it was a third consecutive league defeat, leaving a six-point gap to leaders Arsenal heading into the international break.
Forest vs Man City: The Result at a Glance
| Match detail | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Competition | Premier League |
| Venue | City Ground |
| Final score | Nottingham Forest 3–1 Manchester City |
| Half-time | Nottingham Forest 2–0 Manchester City |
| Forest scorers | Jair Cunha; Liam Delap twice |
| City scorer | Rayan Cherki |
Forest arrived without a home league goal this season. They left with three goals, three points and a performance that changed the mood around Oliver Glasner’s team. City’s response after the interval made the contest competitive again, but the hosts retained an attacking threat when the visitors pushed forward.
The result forms part of a Saturday programme also featuring Leeds’ narrow victory over Tottenham. Forest’s win, however, had its own immediate significance at both ends of the table.
Cunha and Delap Give Forest an Early Advantage
Cunha broke the deadlock in the sixth minute after winning possession from Josko Gvardiol. The defender continued into the penalty area and finished beyond Gianluigi Donnarumma, scoring his first goal for Forest.
That opening was followed by a second in the 18th minute. Xaver Schlager helped send Delap forward from midfield, and the striker drove into space before beating Donnarumma. Forest had turned two opportunities to run at City into a substantial early lead.
The hosts also threatened through James McAtee. City eventually created chances of their own, with Enzo Fernández unable to convert a header and Erling Haaland denied after going around Matz Sels. Cunha’s clearance protected Forest’s advantage before half-time.
His contribution therefore extended beyond the opening goal. Forest still had defending to do despite their productive start, and preventing a reply before the break preserved the full value of those early finishes.
Cherki Revives City’s Challenge
City returned from the interval with Matheus Nunes and Nico O’Reilly on for Marc Guéhi and Gvardiol. Cherki then reduced the deficit in the 52nd minute with a powerful first-time strike, bringing the visitors back within one goal.
The change in the score altered the pressure on Forest. A two-goal cushion had allowed some room for error; at 2–1, another successful City attack would have erased the lead. Haaland threatened again as the visitors searched for an equaliser.
Forest nevertheless continued to offer a route out of their own half. Ryan Yates saw a deflected attempt hit the crossbar, while Delap’s movement gave the home side an outlet behind City’s advancing players.
The contest was now about more than whether City could sustain their pressure. It also depended on whether they could stop Forest turning a regained ball into a dangerous break. The visitors needed to recover the score without leaving the same openings that had hurt them earlier.
Delap Restores the Two-Goal Cushion
Delap’s second finish settled that tension. Combining with Morgan Gibbs-White, he attacked down the left and sent his shot in off the far post, restoring Forest’s two-goal advantage.
Glasner ran along the touchline to join the celebrations. The reaction captured the importance of a goal that arrived while City were still pursuing an equaliser: Forest had answered the visitors’ best spell with a decisive counterattack.
Delap’s two goals came against a club he previously represented. Opta identified him as only the second player to score twice in a Premier League match against City after previously playing for them in the competition, following Nicolas Anelka for Bolton in December 2006.
For Forest, the immediate value was simpler. Their striker had supplied the finishing that transformed an energetic display into a win. His second goal meant the closing minutes could be managed with a cushion rather than with the teams separated by a single finish.
Different Problems Heading Into the Break
City manager Enzo Maresca’s post-match assessment focused on the duels and second balls his team lost before half-time. He also pointed to their delayed reaction after falling two goals behind. Those observations fit the broad pattern: City improved after the restart but could not undo the damage.
City’s official match coverage confirmed that they remained second after ten games, six points behind Arsenal. The league position keeps the setback in perspective, although three successive defeats leave clear work to do during the break.
For Forest, Glasner highlighted the team’s energy, collective commitment and defensive organisation in his post-match remarks. Those qualities supported a result that moved the club to nine points and offered relief after a frustrating home run.
One victory does not establish lasting form. Forest’s next challenge is to reproduce the intensity and finishing; City’s is to respond earlier when opponents disrupt their build-up. Readers can follow the remaining programme through GDU’s November Premier League fixtures and results.
