Kevin De Bruyne made a significant impact in his first start in over two months, scoring one goal and providing an assist as Manchester City secured a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest, effectively ending a frustrating period of four consecutive Premier League losses. The victory marks an uplifting turnaround for Pep Guardiola’s team, which now provisionally occupies fourth place in the league standings, while Nottingham Forest slipped to seventh.
De Bruyne, who had been sidelined with an abdominal injury since mid-September, made his presence felt early in the match. Just eight minutes in, he directed a header towards goal, setting up Bernardo Silva to score from close range. The Belgian international netted his own goal in the 31st minute after receiving a well-placed ball from Jeremy Doku, striking from just outside the penalty area. Doku later secured the win with a brilliant goal in the 57th minute after a long pass from Erling Haaland.
Despite earlier speculations about a potential rift between De Bruyne and Guardiola, the 33-year-old captain led the team admirably and demonstrated his defensive capabilities, earning praise from Guardiola. “He played really good,” the manager said. “I’m really pleased. He’s an incredible person. What he’s done these years with us have been outstanding.”
Nottingham Forest had their chances, notably a missed opportunity by Chris Wood, who failed to convert a one-on-one situation that could have equalized the match. This moment was particularly poignant as De Bruyne capitalized almost immediately, scoring shortly after Wood’s miss.
Guardiola opted for Stefan Ortega as his goalkeeper for the second consecutive match, and the German delivered an exceptional performance, notably saving a powerful shot from Morgan Gibbs-White early in the game.
Overall, this match was a promising sign for Manchester City, showing that they still possess the talent and resilience to bounce back from a difficult period. With De Bruyne’s return, fans can look forward to more exciting performances as the season progresses.
This victory reinforces the notion that in sports, as in life, perseverance pays off, and City may just be on the path to reclaiming their earlier season form.