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Match Report Fulham (1) 1-2 (2) Manchester City Premiership Match Day 33 22/23 at Craven Cottage Sunday 30th April 2023    KO: 14:00 Referee: Simon Hooper (Wiltshire) Live on Sky Sport

Fulham Striker Carlos Vinicius

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Manchester City wrestled control of this absorbing Premier League title race as Julian Alvarez's stunning first-half winner ensured Pep Guardiola's side leapfrogged Arsenal at the summit with a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Fulham on Super Sunday.

Fulham boss Marco Silva had labelled City as 'clearly the best team in the Premier League' in the build-up - a clumsy challenge from Tim Ream inside 80 seconds afforded Erling Haaland the chance to bring up a half century of goals this season.

Bernd Leno barely blinked before his spot-kick was dispatched but Carlos Vinicius levelled against the run of play in the 15th minute at Craven Cottage.

Fulham grew into the game but Alvarez, starting in place of the injured Kevin De Bruyne, restored City's lead before the break with a stunning strike in the 36th minute.

If City are to prevail in their quest for this historic treble, they will be required to overcome awkward assignments such as these with Fulham seeing two penalty claims turned down during a fractious second period.

At the final whistle, there was relief for Pep Guardiola as he shared a prolonged hug with Haaland. The result means City move a point above Arsenal at the top for the first time since February, with a game in hand against West Ham on Wednesday - live on Sky Sports - while Fulham remain in 10th place on 45 points.

Before the action, the big news was the absence of De Bruyne. Guardiola said his midfield metronome did not 'feel good' but declined to offer any indication of when he expects the Belgian to return.

It did not derail City from a blistering start. Haaland scored his 50th goal of the season - his 34th in the Premier League - as City took the lead through an early penalty. The Norway striker fired past Bernd Leno after Alvarez had been brought down by Ream.

Silva spoke to Sky Sports on Friday about the need for his side to go back to having a target man after playing a false nine at times since Aleksandar Mitrovic's ban, but the roles were inverted for Fulham's well-worked equaliser.

Andreas Pereira's flighted ball into the box was knocked down by Harry Wilson into the path of Vinicius, who sliced across the ball to finish beyond a rooted Ederson.

Jack Grealish's shot was brilliantly tipped onto the bar by Leno but City restored their lead in the 36th minute when Alvarez collected Riyad Mahrez's pass, proved too strong for Joao Palhinha, and curled a stunning 25-yard strike into the top corner.

City almost doubled their advantage within two minutes of the restart. Alvarez was the architect this time as he lost Issa Diop - on for the hospitalised Ream with an arm injury - and found Grealish, whose cross was met by Haaland but Leno got down well to tip his low effort wide.

A nasty collision between Pereira and Manuel Akanji led to the Fulham midfielder being carried off on a stretcher, but Tom Cairney came on to carry the fight.

Leno kept the hosts in it as he saved from Alvarez before a flashpoint in the City penalty area drew penalty claims as Ederson smothered at the falling feet of Vinicius. Ederson certainly had not covered himself in glory as he came and did not claim, but referee Simon Hooper was unmoved.

Bobby Decordova-Reid pounced on a poor headed clearance by Akanji to whistle a long-range shot wide. After the 51st minute, City had just one shot on target.

Credit to Fulham for the way they battled but they were ultimately overpowered by City's blistering start. Is there any stopping them now?

Fulham head to Anfield on Wednesday to face Liverpool before taking on Leicester on Monday.

Fulham's remaining fixtures
May 3: Liverpool (A) - Premier League, kick-off 8pm
May 8: Leicester (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 13: Southampton (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 20: Crystal Palace (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 28: Man Utd (A) - Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm

Fulham: Leno, Tete, Adarabioyo, Ream (Diop 22), Robinson, Reed (Lukic 76), Palhinha, Wilson (Solomon 76), Pereira (Cairney 58), De Cordova-Reid (James 76), Vinicius

Unused substitutes: Rodak, Duffy, Kebano, Soares

Goals:
Vinicius 15 (Pereira plays a long pass into the box, Wilson nods it down for Vinicius and he hammers it past Ederson! Some way to mark your 50th appearance in England! A goal celebrated in west London - and north London! FPL assist: Harry Wilson)

Booked: Tete (70,arg),

Manchester City: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Akanji, Stones, Rodri, Mahrez (Foden 83), Álvarez (Silva 83), Gundogan, Grealish, Haaland

Unused substitutes: Phillips, Laporte, Ortega, Gomez, Perrone, Carson, Lewis

Goals:
Alvarez, 36 (City come through the middle. Alvarez does brilliantly to shield the ball from Palhinha and then unleashes a BEAUTY! He bends it brilliantly over Leno and into the top corner! WOW! FPL assist: Riyad Mahrez)

Haaland pen 3 (Grealish lifts it into the box, Mahrez cuts it back for Alvarez and he goes down due to a clumsy leg stuck out from Ream! Leno goes the right way but can't get to it as it flies into his left-hand corner. A strike befitting of the landmark from Haaland! He matches Andy Cole and Alan Shearer for most goals in a Premier League season - 34.)

Booked: Grealish (70,arg), Ederson (90+6,tw), Walker (90+8,tw)

Referee: Simon Hooper (Wiltshire)

Attendance: 24,498