Manchester City vs Fulham: Premier League Recap

It was an action-packed encounter that saw the giants of Manchester City pip Fulham 3-2 at Etihad Stadium. While it was a brilliant performance, Fulham still went home empty-handed following a brace by Mateo Kovacic to hand Manchester City all three points. Though the match showed that hustling Fulham had been undone by Manchester City, it also told a story of the competitiveness of Fulham, who have made a decent start this season.

The visitors came into the match sitting sixth after seven games, which, of course, tested how a team’s or a season’s real early momentum would hold up. So, let’s break down even more how Marco Silva’s men’s and Pep Guardiola’s men’s performances panned out and what that means about their season from here on out.

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A False Start: Missing Opportunities

It was a bright start to the game, with the Cottagers catching Manchester City cold for the first couple of minutes. The visitors gradually grew into the game, and finally, in the 26 minute, Andreas Pereira gave them the lead. A smart back heel from Raúl Jiménez presented him with a close-range finish as Fulham scored the first goal in a pretty evenly matched first half of football.

That early goal from Fulham showed their attacking promise, but they certainly did not capitalize on other important chances to double the lead. Adama Traoré had two one-on-ones with Manchester City’s keeper, Éderson, neither of which he knew how to use to his advantage. Lost opportunities that would prove quite costly later as Fulham began to be overwhelmed by City’s persistent pressure.

Still ahead, Fulham’s frailties started showing behind the rear guard as Manchester City, never ones to get hassled over in terms of possession, found their way back into the match in no time. Six minutes from Pereira’s opening goal, Manchester City drew level through Mateo Kovacic, a marker that revived them. The fact that Fulham could not keep up the discipline at the back allowed Manchester City to capitalize on small mistakes.

Brilliancy by Kovacic; Nightmare for Fulham

Two goals from Mateo Kovacic either side of half-time had given Manchester City the lead. The first came when Fulham were unable to clear a corner, and he took one touch before firing past Bernd Leno. The second came at the start of the second half and was a fabulous effort from the edge of the box as he linked up with Jack Grealish.

What was an okay backline for Fulham early in the match started to look tired as Manchester City waved after wave of attacks forced them deeper into their half. A strike by Jérémy Doku in the 82nd minute gave Manchester City breathing space with a two-goal buffer, and though Rodrigo Muniz pulled one back for his team in the 88th minute, it was just a consolation.

Such was the difference in attacking efficiency from either side, with Manchester City making the most of their chances and the visitors’ key attacking players failing to capitalize on the important moments that came their way. Adama Traore’s wastefulness epitomized that if Fulham is to keep their spot near the top of the Premier League, they will need to work on their finishing.

Signs of Promise Amid Defeat

Despite the defeat, the fact that Fulham could stand quite well against one of the top teams in the league counts for something, after all. That gives them their best start to a Premier League season in 20 years: 11 points earned from seven games. Later into the season, consistency will tell with Fulham under Marco Silva, who has managed their own, even against the top teams.

They have pressed well up the pitch for much of this season, and that has often led to a stifling of Manchester City getting into their build-up effectively. That bit of extra aggression helped them toward this good start to the season, with players like Pereira and Jimenez adapting to the demands of Silva’s system.

Still, they have to get the defensive solidity right if they are not to concede unnecessarily, as they did in this game. Next up for Fulham is another acid test-against Manchester City’s rivals, Manchester United. If they learn from some of the missed opportunities and the defensive lapses of this match, Fulham should bounce back and continue their fine campaign.

Conclusion

Fulham’s performance showed growth and resolve. Yes, they were outdone by City’s attacking flair and finishing, but to score and create chances against one of the most powerful teams in the Premier League is encouragement for Fulham. Pereira and Jiménez raise the ante, while Marco Silva’s tactics work out; a top-half finish this season may still be a possibility for Fulham. There are two key areas where Fulham must make further progress if this encouraging start is to translate into something more productive- putting away chances and solidity in defense. There is plenty of reason to take optimism from the Fulham camp into this defeat against City.

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This article was written by Kufreabasi Essien