Rayan Cherki scored a late winner at Nottingham Forest to keep Manchester City in touch with leaders Arsenal at the top of the Premier League.

The hosts threatened to deliver a blow to City's title hopes after Omari Hutchinson cancelled out Tijjani Reijnders' second-half opener.

But Cherki struck late to continue City's ominous form - they have now won their past eight games in all competitions.

For struggling Forest, who paid an emotional tribute to club legend John Robertson, it will be a hard defeat to take and they have slipped to successive losses under Sean Dyche for the first time, following their 1-0 reverse at Fulham on Monday.

Forest frustrated City in the first half with Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic exceptional, but their resistance was broken just three minutes into the second half when Reijnders steered past John Victor.

Yet it was Reijnders who lost the ball on the edge of his own penalty area six minutes later for Morgan Gibbs-White to break and find Igor Jesus, who teed up record signing Hutchinson for his first Forest goal.

Before that, City briefly sensed a crucial second when John Victor turned Cherki's drive on to the post, before his smart save stopped Phil Foden restoring City's lead.

But the Forest keeper could do nothing to keep out Cherki's 83rd-minute drive when he found the corner from the edge of the box.

The feeling around the City Ground should be one of pride, and the belief Nottingham Forest are continuing to move in the right direction.

The chaos of the start of the season - when Ange Postecoglou replaced Nuno Espirito Santo and barely lasted six weeks - has been replaced by the almost serene nature of the past two months under Dyche.

He has won half of his 14 games and the performance - despite the result - on Saturday was a fine response to the disappointment of the Fulham defeat.

Yet, while there is still a feeling of control, that is in contrast to the table which still has Forest 17th and in danger.

Defeat meant it is successive losses for the first time under Dyche, a testament to how quickly he got to grips with a floundering team, but Forest cannot afford to allow it to become a habit.

They were unlucky in defeat - few will be so resolute against the City juggernaut which seems to be clicking into gear, and deserved more.

The Manchester City squad - and then Pep Guardiola - took the acclaim of the travelling supporters after a hard-fought win which felt like one that brings titles.

City were not at their fluid best but got the result they needed, not just through their class but also grit and determination.

Guardiola said his side would have lost at the City Ground 10 times out of 10 last season, but believes they have rediscovered their energy and mentality.

It could be a result that, come May, is one which Guardiola and his players look back on as crucial in the title race.

They have reeled in Arsenal - having been six points behind when they lost at Aston Villa in October - and piled the pressure on the Gunners.

City know how to finish title races - the biggest criticism levelled at Arsenal has been how they have failed and fallen during the final sprint - and this win keeps them two points behind the Gunners.

Everton visit the City Ground on Tuesday (19:30 GMT) before Forest travel to Aston Villa on 3 January (12:30).

Manchester City go to Sunderland on New Year's Day (20:00) and before hosting Chelsea on 4 January (17:30).