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MATCH REPORT: Fulham edged out at Man City ~ Prem MD 07 ~ 24/25

last updated Saturday 05th October 2024, 9:35 PM



Match Report

Manchester City (1) 3-2 (1) Fulham

Premiership Match Day 07 24/25 at Etihad Stadium, Manchester

Saturday 5th October 2024     KO: 15:00

Referee: Peter Bankes (Lancashire)



Fulham Midfielder Andreas Pereira
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Luckless Fulham forced Manchester City to come from behind in a strong display at the Etihad.

Andreas Pereira had given Marco Silva's men the lead in the first-half, but a brace either side of the break from Mateo Kovacic and a late Jeremy Doku strike turned things around for the hosts.

Rodrigo Muniz kept hopes of an unlikely point alive with his first goal of the season, but the Premier League Champions held out to end the Whites' five-match unbeaten league run.

The home side had two sights of goal early on, when Ilkay Gundogan cracked a half-volley which went wide, and Erling Haaland stood up Joachim Andersen but also failed to find the far corner with a low effort.

Fulham’s first attack came when they hit City on the break, with Alex Iwobi’s angled shot blocked behind after he was picked out by Andreas. When the Brazil international whipped in the resulting corner, Raul Jimenez rose highest but couldn’t direct his header on target.

There was a huge chance on the quarter-hour mark as a lovely ball from the outside of Raul’s boot set Adama Traore free, but Ederson kept the finish out with his feet.

More good work from Fulham, in their red and black away strip, followed as a trademark Antonee Robinson overlap created the chance for him to slide a ball across the box which Manuel Akanji had to cut out.

Winger Ivan Cavaleiro
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Rodrigo Muniz
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And Marco Silva’s side took a deserved lead when a fabulous moment of inspiration from Raul saw the Mexican backheel Iwobi’s cross into the path of Andreas, and the man previously associated with the red side of Manchester poked home.

It should have been two moments later when Raul kickstarted the counter-attack and Iwobi found Adama in the middle, but our number 11 couldn’t keep his shot down.

Instead, City equalised with one of the few chances they managed to create, as a corner fell to Kovacic and his powerful shot pinballed off a couple of Fulham defenders on its way in.

As well-drilled and organised as Fulham were in the first-half, it took City just two minutes of the second-half to take the lead. Kovacic again, with a shot that bent away from Bernd Leno as it nestled in the bottom left.

567 385
Match Stats Man City Fulham
Goals (1) 3 2 (1)
Scorers Kovacic 32 Pereira 26
Kovacic 47 Muniz 86
Doku 82 -
 ,
Goal attempts 20 11
On target 7 4
Shooting Accuracy 35% 36%
Possession 58% 42%
Passes 626 443
Passes Success 91%87%
Corners 8 3
Tackles 11 23
Tackles Success 0% 0%
Saves 2 4
Fouls 4 10
Offsides 0 3
Yellows 2 1
Reds 0 0
source: SkySports
Still the visitors caused problems, and when the front three broke forward once more, only a last-ditch block from a blue shirt prevented Raul from continuing his fine goalscoring form.

The game dipped in tempo as Pep Guardiola’s side slowed things down, although Leno had to be alert when Phil Foden tried to nip in after making a run into the box.

As Fulham battled away, they forged another golden chance. Adama nutmegged his man as he linked up with Raul, before using every ounce of his pace to sprint clear. Unfortunately, Ederson again won the one-on-one and kept City’s advantage.

On 75 minutes Raúl rued his luck again, as he stretched to get on the end of Jedi’s ball across the box, but the City defence was on hand to make yet another block.

The Champions looked to have ruled out the possibility of an equaliser in the last ten minutes, as Doku cut inside and unleashed an unstoppable strike into the roof of the net. Nothing that Leno, or a valiant Fulham, could have done about that one.

But the Whites didn't lie down and with just two minutes remaining, the ball fell to substitute Muniz in the six-yard box, and he made the most of the time and space he was afforded to smash home and reduce the deficit.

A late rally followed as Fulham continued to push their opponents all the way, but it just wasn't to be.

Fulham manager Marco Silva:
"We have two ways to look. Performance wise, we have to be proud, it gives us the feeling that we are in the right direction. We are growing. And it's not just in transition, we started to control the game on the ball, we were patient.

"City finished with five at the back. So it gives us courage to stick with our philosophy as a team.

"We can be unhappy with the result. We deserve more from the game. But that's football, it's a process. Next time we have these types of chances we have to be able to score more."

Man City manager Pep Guardiola:
"They create chances, that's the truth, but my feeling is the game was well played [by Fulham]. Adama [Traore] is unstoppable, so you have to defend. They put a lot of runners, and they did it well. We knew it.

"They have lost just one game this season. They have incredible results and every season, with Marco Silva, they get better and better. When we have an incredible record of winning here in our stadium it's because some games are won a hard way. Nothing in life is easy."

Speaking about the goalscoring performance of Mateo Kovacic, Guardiola said: "When they defend with five at the back, immediately we had two chances. Our first goal was brilliant, the second one as well, and Kova is really important to exploiting teams who play with five in the back. Now teams know they cannot leave Kova alone."

Manchester City: Ederson, Lewis, Akanji (Walker 62), R Dias, Gvardiol, Kovacic, B Silva, Foden (Stones 78), Gundogan (M Nunes 89), Grealish (Doku 62), Haaland

Unused substitutes: Ortega, Savinho, Carson, McAtee

Goals:
Kovacic 32 (KOVACIC EQUALISES! Fulham are immediately punished for not taking their chance to go 2-0 up! Gundogan swings in a corner which bounces off Traore - the man who missed that glorious opportunity earlier - and the ball falls to Kovacic and he slams home, albeit via a deflection off Andersen.)
Kovacic 47 (KOVACIC AGAIN! The midfielder produces a lovely finish to put City ahead! Silva brings the ball down on his chest and gives a ball to Kovacic who then beats his man to get to the edge of the box before hitting a lovely cool finish past Leno.)
Doku 82 (WOW, WHAT A STRIKE FROM DOKU! Incredible hit from the winger! It's a screamer as he collects the ball from Lewis, cuts inside on his right foot and smacks a powerful shot that swerves past Leno! Relief for City and Pep Guardiola. Fulham have had their chances but Doku's stunner has put the game beyond them.)

Booked: Ederson (dis,90+3), B Silva (dis,90+5),

Fulham: Leno, Iwobi (Nelson 77), Tete (Castagne 77), Andersen, Bassey, Robinson, Pereira (Smith Rowe 65), Berge (Cairney 65), Lukic, Traore, Jimenez (R Muniz 77)

Unused substitutes: Reed, Wilson, Benda, Diop

Goals:
Pereira 26 (FULHAM TAKE THE LEAD! WHAT AN ASSIST FROM JIMENEZ! Iwobi plays in Jimenez inside the box and the striker produces a gorgeous back-heeled flick to Pereria who slides in a finish.)
Muniz 88 (GAME ON! Muniz has made it a nervy last few minutes at the Etihad Stadium! Nelson plays the ball across for Muniz, who has so much time to control the ball and then hammer a shot beyond Ederson. Fulham will fancy this and they absolutely deserved that second goal.)

Booked: Bassey (f,64)

Referee: Peter Bankes (Lancashire)

Attendance: 0

Fulham are next in action on Saturday 19th when they welcome Aston Villa to Craven Cottage.



















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