Kevin De Bruyne stars as Manchester City end winless run in style

Manchester City snapped out of their downward spiral as they roared back into life with a convincing 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest.

Goals from Bernardo Silva, a rejuvenated Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku saw the champions finally get back to winning ways after an alarming run of six defeats in seven games in all competitions.

With four of those losses having come in the Premier League, City’s title hopes may already be over but they looked more like their old selves as they overran Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.

Forest were seeking their first win at City since 1989 and, after ending a 55-year wait for a victory at Anfield earlier this season, may have fancied their chances of breaking another hoodoo given recent form.

Yet despite just a one-point gap between the sides at kick-off.

They came up against a fired-up City team determined to arrest a slide that included bruising defeats against Tottenham and Liverpool.

De Bruyne was instrumental as he returned to the starting line-up for the first time since September, his fitness problems – and speculation about his relationship with manager Pep Guardiola – seemingly behind him.

With Jack Grealish also revelling in a more central role, City went straight onto the front foot and went close as Erling Haaland drew a save from Matz Sels from a De Bruyne cutback.

The opener came after just eight minutes as Ilkay Gundogan floated a ball.

Which De Bruyne met with a สมัคร ufabet bpowerful header. It seemed destined for the bottom corner but Bernardo Silva got the final touch from close range.

Josko Gvardiol should have had a second soon after when he planted a header wide from a cross by the lively Bernardo Silva.

It was the start of an eventful few minutes for Gvardiol, who had committed a number of costly errors in his most recent outings.