Manchester City's superstar-studded squad proved too much for Nottingham Forest as they came from behind to secure a hard-fought 2-1 victory at the City Ground.

While the visitors enjoyed 66% of possession and outshot their opponents 16-7, the opening goal came against the run of play. Nottingham Forest's aggressive counter-pressing forced a Manchester City turnover, and Igor Jesus perfectly teed up Elliot Anderson for a well-taken finish to give the home side a surprise lead.

However, Pep Guardiola's men showcased their quality and resilience to turn the match around. Youngster Rayan Cherki, who created 4 chances, played a key role in the equalizer, providing the assist for Tijjani Reijnders' strike. Then, with 7 minutes remaining, Cherki himself netted the winner, latching onto Josko Gvardiol's cross to seal the three points for the champions.

The tactical reason for Manchester City's victory was their ability to control possession and territory, with 90% pass accuracy compared to just 75% for Nottingham Forest. This allowed them to gradually wear down the home side's compact defensive structure and create high-quality chances, despite Nottingham Forest's initial success in pressing high up the pitch.