De Bruyne’s back-to-best performance thrashes Ola Aina’s Forest

• Kevin De Bruyne delivered a stellar performance, scoring and assisting as Manchester City cruised to a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest
• The victory ended City’s four-game winless streak in the Premier League and saw Jeremy Doku add a sensational third goal to seal the game
• De Bruyne’s return marked his first start after a long injury layoff, with Pep Guardiola managing his recovery carefully ahead of City’s clash with Crystal Palace

Cityzen’s captain Kevin De Bruyne announced his return from injury to Manchester City’s starting XI with an outstanding performance, inspiring his team to a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest. 

After a prolonged injury spell, the Belgian maestro proved instrumental in putting an end to City’s four-game winless run in the Premier League, as his goal and assist secured three vital points for Pep Guardiola’s side.

City entered the match under pressure, with critics questioning their title defence following their uneventful slump. However, the Etihad crowd needed just ten minutes to sense a turnaround as De Bruyne made an immediate impact. The midfielder directed a nicely gauged header across goal to set up Bernardo Silva for an easy tap-in, giving City the early advantage.

The hosts continued to dominate but were wasteful in front of goal. Josko Gvardiol squandered two golden opportunities to double the lead, while Forest’s Chris Wood nearly capitalised on a rare City defensive lapse. 

However, Wood’s failure to convert a one-on-one with Ortega proved costly, as De Bruyne punished Forest moments later. The 32-year-old struck a trademark finish from just inside the box, threading the ball past goalkeeper Matt Turner to make it 2-0 before the half-hour mark.

Nottingham Forest showed glimpses of a comeback early in the second half, testing City’s defence. But the home side remained resolute and regained control of the game. The third goal came in the 57th minute through a moment of individual brilliance from Jeremy Doku. The Belgian winger curled a sublime effort into the top corner, extinguishing any hopes of a Forest revival.

Pep Guardiola praised his team’s performance, particularly the influential De Bruyne, whose injury struggles have limited his availability this season. After managing his minutes carefully with substitute appearances against Liverpool, Brighton, and Feyenoord, Guardiola handed him his first start in months, and the midfielder didn’t disappoint.

Speaking after the game, Guardiola expressed his joy at seeing De Bruyne back in full flow, 

“I’m so happy for him, last season was difficult, and this season has been tough as well. He fought a lot to get back, and today he played 75 fantastic minutes.” 

The victory lifted Manchester City to fourth place in the league table, reviving their hopeful pursuit of the title. Forest, despite their uncrowned efforts, remain in sixth and will look to regroup ahead of their clash with Manchester United.

For Guardiola’s side, attention now turns to their weekend fixture against Crystal Palace on December 8, with fans hopeful that De Bruyne can maintain his brilliance. Meanwhile, Forest’s Ola Aina and his teammates will aim to bounce back after a challenging night at the Etihad.

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Previously, TheRadar reported that following his treble against Ipswich Town, Erling Haaland struck all three goals in City's 3-1 victory over West Ham, bringing his season total to seven. 

Guardiola praised Haaland's finishing prowess, stating that no defender could stop him, not even with extreme measures, due to his incredible speed and power. Now fully rested and re-energised, Haaland is more dangerous than ever as he continues to dominate the Premier League.