Fulham Head Coach Scott Parker is going into Saturday’s game with a combination of realism and optimism.
Manchester City have won 22 of their last 23 matches in all competitions, but Parker still has faith that his Fulham team can cause them problems.
“Do I believe we can win the game? Did I believe we could beat Liverpool away? Yes I did honestly believe that, and that comes not just from my belief,” he explained.
“That comes from what I’m seeing. I’d be the first to be very realistic about certain situations.
“If I didn’t see that on the training field, if I didn’t see a work ethic, if I didn’t see an endeavour, if I didn’t see a group of players who have showed quality during some times that have been tough this season and put their hands up and faced up, then I wouldn’t have that belief.
“The weekend [we play], for me, the best team in Europe, the best team in this division. You can be on the end of one when you play Man City, of course you can, and we see that many a time, but it’s certainly a game that we want to try and assert ourselves in and try and cause them some problems.
“There’s no doubt that at the weekend we’re going to have to suffer sometimes. We understand that, of course we do.
“We’re playing against what I personally think is the best team in Europe in terms of how well they’re coached and the technical ability they have, where they put the ball and knowing where to put the ball at the right times.
“So of course there’s going to be that constant battle and that constant hard work that we’re going to have to do.
“On the flip side of that, there’s an opportunity for us to put our stamp on the game as well, and we’re going to go into the game and try to do that.
“We want to try and pose Man City problems where we can. Now while they may be limited, while that’s going to be very difficult, there’s still a willingness in what we want to try and do.”
Southampton saw first hand how ruthless the likely 2021 Premier League champions can be on Wednesday.
Having started excellently, they found themselves behind following what was effectively City’s first attack of the evening.
“I thought Southampton started the game very well and after 14 minutes were really the dominant team,” Parker said. “Then literally the click of a finger, one ball over the top, across the face, and before you know it Man City are 1-0 up.
“We realise the animal we’re playing against here. That focus on our defensive shape and our diligence in those moments are going to be very key.
“They’ve got quality all over the pitch, in terms of structure, their positional play. The way they play, they’re a threat in every single moment of a game.
“Out of possession they’re a threat in terms of transitions, with the ball and the way they can move the play.”
Saturday night provides Parker with a platform to pit his wits against Pep Guardiola, a peer that he clearly holds in the highest esteem going.
“This is a coach who, probably in my lifetime, I’ve not seen a better one in terms of what he’s done, what he’s created,” he admitted.
“Every football club he’s been at he’s created a clear style and a clear way, so he’s definitely a coach I’ve looked at and tried to work things out or study in that way, because he’s going to go down as one of the greats.”