For all of the pre-match talk about City’s miserable run, they were imperious early on as Bernardo Silva opened the scoring in the eighth minute, diverting De Bruyne’s header into the net.
The Portuguese and Belgian linked up again on the quarter-hour mark for the former to dink in a delightful cross, although Josko Gvardiol sent his header wide.
Gvardiol was then dispossessed by Jota Silva, who teed up Morgan Gibbs-White for a venomous strike that forced a strong save from Stefan Ortega as Forest showed they can threaten.
Undeterred, the Croatian made a burst forward and latched onto Erling Haaland’s through ball but once again sent his attempt past the post, before De Bruyne also fired wide.
Forest still had their opportunities and Chris Wood had the biggest of them all following a poor pass from De Bruyne, yet the talismanic frontman uncharacteristically fired wide.
Moments later, De Bruyne showed no mercy and clinically doubled the hosts’ lead with a brilliant strike on his first PL start since mid-September.
The Tricky Trees still kept battling as Anthony Elanga and Nikola Milenkovic sent an effort apiece off target before the break, while Wood saw an attempt blocked after the restart.
Murillo then sent an ambitious strike fizzing off target but they were undone again shortly before the hour mark, as Jeremy Doku collected Haaland’s pass and glided forward before working space from Nikola Milenkovic and providing a brilliant finish.
With confidence undoubtedly back at the Etihad, De Bruyne hit a free-kick that grazed the side netting and then had another attempt tipped wide by Matz Sels.
While the visitors refused to give up, they couldn’t cause any late nerves with Elanga’s shot only finding the roof of the net, as City ended a run of four consecutive league defeats with a victory that could prove even more significant as leaders Liverpool dropped points against Newcastle United.
The Citizens also inflicted a third defeat on Forest in their previous four matches.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)