Kevin De Bruyne’s Magic Sparks Manchester City’s Revival in 3-0 Forest Triumph

After weeks of frustration, Manchester City finally roared back to life with a commanding 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest at the Etihad Stadium. At the heart of it all was the returning Kevin De Bruyne, whose masterclass not only ended City’s winless streak but reignited belief in the Blues’ ability to reclaim their dominance.

De Bruyne, making his first start since September, was simply unplayable. An assist, a thunderous goal, and 70 minutes of pure brilliance reminded everyone why he remains the beating heart of Pep Guardiola’s side.

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Reflecting on his long road back, De Bruyne admitted: “It’s not been a nice period for me, but you have to deal with it. It’s nice to be out there to change the momentum hopefully. I think we did well today.”

City wasted no time asserting control. Within seven minutes, Bernardo Silva bundled in the opener after De Bruyne’s clever header across goal caused chaos in Forest’s defence. The Etihad faithful could feel it—City had their swagger back.

De Bruyne then turned scorer, unleashing a rocket past the helpless keeper to double City’s lead. His reaction? Pure joy. “I was really surprised because when I got the ball from Jeremy, I was in so much space. I just had to hit the target. Luckily, I did that,” said the Belgian playmaker.

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As if to underline their superiority, Jeremy Doku added a third, dazzling down the wing before curling a sublime effort into the net. The Etihad erupted, knowing the nightmare of recent weeks was finally over.

Pep Guardiola’s tactical adjustments were crucial in this victory. Faced with Forest’s surprise man-to-man setup, City deployed a 3-3-4 formation, allowing Nathan Ake to exploit space and drive the team forward.
“We didn’t expect Forest to go man for man, so we adjusted. The first 30 minutes we did well, and then we struggled a bit. The second half was a different game playing against five at the back,” explained De Bruyne.

City’s midfield was a perfect blend of creativity and control. Jack Grealish thrived in a central role, carrying the ball with finesse, while Bernardo Silva’s industrious workrate complemented De Bruyne’s artistry. And then there was Doku—electric, unpredictable, and devastating on the counter.

De Bruyne acknowledged the importance of experienced heads stepping up during this turbulent spell: “It’s been a difficult time, and maybe they look a bit to the older guys to bring calmness in the game. I made a couple of mistakes in the first half, but Jack, Bernardo, and Gundo did a really good job. Jeremy brought a different energy. We had a good mix today.”

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For City, this wasn’t just a win—it was a statement. After six games without victory, this performance reminded the football world of what they are capable of. The question now is whether they can use this result as a springboard to reignite their Premier League and Champions League campaigns.

The pressure is far from over, but with Kevin De Bruyne pulling the strings once again, Manchester City look ready to turn their fortunes around. The king is back, and so, it seems, are City.