Manchester City 3-0 Fulham: Sharp first-half performance secures victory for the Cityzens
It was difficult to envisage what exactly Fulham’s gameplan was as Manchester City overran them in the first half for an emphatic victory.
In the reverse fixture at Craven Cottage, City went 3-0 up in the first half and at some point in the second were 5-1 up, but Fulham initiated a sensational fightback and almost earned a point.
Here at the Etihad there would be no repeat after goals from Antoine Semenyo, Nico O’Reilly and Erling Haaland sent City cruising in the opening period. Fulham became much better in the second half, but Guardiola will have been happy to see his side much better at killing off a game than they have proved this season.
With Arsenal six points clear and facing Brentford on Thursday, it was vital that City seize this opportunity to go three points closer to their title rivals. Push up, stay perfect, be there and wait for the Gunners to slip up.
A great opening salvo from the hosts saw Fulham struggling to get out of their defensive third, making short awkward passes and repeatedly conceding possession in dangerous areas.
Perhaps the biggest surprise was that City didn’t do enough to punish the mistakes. Phil Foden missed from 12 yards in one of the home side’s clearer chances but Fulham also had their own moments: Harry Wilson’s low shot on a breakaway was saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Then on minute 24 Matheus Nunes’ cross was knocked down poorly by Sander Berge and there was Semenyo sliding to prod the ball past Bernd Leno. It had been a long time coming, and with Fulham still lost in torpor, City’s January signing from Bournemouth shone again, this time playing in Nico O’Reilly on the left. The youngster chipped deliciously over Leno.
The icing on the cake for City was Haaland getting his first non-penalty goal in the league since 20 December, and it followed a brilliant team move. Rayan Ait Nouri went on a run and sent a pass into Foden, who then slipped it to Haaland, the Norwegian bursting forward and then sending a low, flat shot nestling into the bottom corner.
The visitors had very little going for them. Emile Smith Rowe, Wilson and Raul Jimenez were bright but there was no end product. Marco Silva threw on Kevin, Rodrigo Muniz and Josh King for Samuel Chukwueze, Smith Rowe and Jimenez on the hour mark. Haaland did not make it out of the tunnel for City, but here Guardiola’s men held on.
