By Andy Hampson, PA
Manchester City snapped out of their downward spiral as they roared back into life with a convincing 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest.
Goals from Bernardo Silva, a rejuvenated Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku saw the champions finally get back to winning ways after an alarming run of six defeats in seven games in all competitions.
With four of those losses having come in the Premier League, City’s title hopes may already be over but they looked more like their old selves as they overran Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.
Forest were seeking their first win at City since 1989 and, after ending a 55-year wait for a victory at Anfield earlier this season, may have fancied their chances of breaking another hoodoo given recent form.
Yet despite just a one-point gap between the sides at kick-off, they came up against a fired-up City team determined to arrest a slide that included bruising defeats against Tottenham and Liverpool.
De Bruyne was instrumental as he returned to the starting line-up for the first time since September, his fitness problems – and speculation about his relationship with manager Pep Guardiola – seemingly behind him.
With Jack Grealish also revelling in a more central role, City went straight onto the front foot and went close as Erling Haaland drew a save from Matz Sels from a De Bruyne cutback.
The opener came after just eight minutes as Ilkay Gundogan floated a ball which De Bruyne met with a powerful header. It seemed destined for the bottom corner but Bernardo Silva got the final touch from close range.
Josko Gvardiol should have had a second soon after when he planted a header wide from a cross by the lively Bernardo Silva.
It was the start of an eventful few minutes for Gvardiol, who had committed a number of costly errors in his most recent outings.
Again he was at fault as he was dispossessed by Jota Silva but goalkeeper Stefan Ortega, preferred to Ederson for a second successive game, beat away the shot from Morgan Gibbs-White that followed.
Gvardiol, who had been given licence to get forward, then spurned another chance at the other end when he dragged a shot wide after being played in by Haaland.
City survived another scare on the half-hour when De Bruyne’s underhit pass was seized upon by Chris Wood.
The in-form New Zealander looked certain to score as he closed in on goal but failed to hit the target.
It was a miss the visitors were to rue immediately as Doku breezed past Ryan Yates to tee up De Bruyne, who picked his spot and thumped home.
With Guardiola trying to rally the crowd, it was clear City wanted more but it was actually Forest who finished the first half stronger as Anthony Elanga and Nikola Milenkovic both had good chances.
Yet they failed to take advantage and Doku put the game beyond doubt in the 57th minute as he raced onto a Haaland pass and cut inside to fire past Sels from just inside the area.
De Bruyne could have had another when he curled a free-kick just wide but he was withdrawn to a good ovation after 74 minutes.
Elliot Anderson gave Ortega a shot to save late on but there was to be no repeat of last week’s Feyenoord capitulation as City saw out the game in a manner previously taken for granted.
