Liam Delap scores twice as Nottingham Forest beat Manchester City 3-1

Nottingham Forest’s wait for a home goal ended with a statement win. Liam Delap scored twice as Forest beat Manchester City 3-1 at the City Ground, leaving Pep Guardiola’s side with three consecutive defeats and giving the hosts a result with real weight at the bottom of the table.

Forest had gone eight-and-a-half hours of football at home without scoring. Jair Cunha broke that run in the sixth minute, winning the ball from Joško Gvardiol before driving forward and finishing with his left foot. The breakthrough was both sudden and emphatic: Forest had a lead, and the home crowd had a goal to celebrate at last.

Twelve minutes later, the hosts doubled their advantage. Xaver Schlager won possession in midfield and sent Delap through; the forward powered his finish past the City goalkeeper. Forest’s early intensity had put City under pressure, and the visitors were two goals behind before they had found their rhythm.

City had chances to respond before the interval. Erling Haaland rounded Matz Sels, but Cunha cleared his shot before it crossed the line. City also had an opportunity from Marc Guéhi’s cross, but Enzo Fernández could not turn his header into a goal. Forest went into the break still two ahead.

Rayan Cherki gave City a way back in the 52nd minute, striking from distance to make it 2-1. The visitors pushed for an equaliser, and the match briefly carried the feel of a comeback. Forest, though, had a decisive answer.

Morgan Gibbs-White released Delap on the break in the 73rd minute. Delap finished into the top corner to restore Forest’s two-goal cushion and complete his brace. The goal settled the contest and turned a long-awaited home breakthrough into a memorable afternoon.

The result lifts Forest out of the relegation zone, while City’s losing run now stands at three league matches. They remain six points behind Arsenal, the Premier League leaders. For Forest, the win ends a painful scoring drought at the City Ground; for City, it is another setback in a run that has gathered momentum in the wrong direction.