Manchester City had plenty of time to rest themselves in the second half of a relatively easy win against Fulham with a Champions League game against Lyon on the horizon.
City had already missed several chances to hammer home their advantage against the visitors having gone 2-0 up after 21 minutes with goals by Leroy Sane and David Silva but seemed content with a 3-0 advantage soon after the second half started when Raheem Sterling scored.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester City 3, Fulham 0
Ederson. 7. Good save from Andre Schurrle in the first half. Not much else to do.
Kyle Walker. 7. Out of position a couple of times but contributed in attack and battled well with Ryan Sessegnon. Asked to play a more disciplined tole at left back after Fabian Delph went off.
Nicolas Otamendi. 8. Got the better of Aleksander Mitrovic who was starved of service. Some great tackles from the big Argentine.
Aymeric Laporte. 7. Couple of defensive lapses but not afraid of a battle with the quick Luciano Vietto when he came inside.
Fabian Delph. 7. Slotted in at left back again in the absence of injured Benjamin Mendy and did a solid job, getting involved in the build up.
Fernandinho. 8. Excellent interception to create the goal for Sane, and another great interception in the second half to set up a chance for himself which went wide. Filled in at right back as City rested Fabian Delph in the second half.
David Silva. 8. Excellent goal on his 350th appearance, always a danger in advanced positions.
Bernardo Silva. 9. Superb close control and passing. Great through ball for Sterling in the first half, and a second half goal bound shot was deflected away. Should have scored late on but blazed over when played in by Gabriel Jesus.
Leroy Sane. 8. Excellent on his first league start this season, scored a tap in but was offside when trying to put Sterling in for a similar goal. Stretched Fulham’s defence and should have scored more after a couple of offside decisions.
Raheem Sterling. 7. Always a danger but also wasteful – had a shot deflect off the keeper onto the bar and always willing to test Bettinelli. Finally got his goal early in the second half.
Sergio Aguero. 7. Foraged hard, overcame a knock in the first half and laid on goals for David Silva and Raheem Sterling. Taken off after 53 minutes due to a knock in the first half.
Gabriel Jesus (for Aguero 53): 7. Snatched at a couple of chances to score after coming on which should have been goals
Ilkay Gundogan (for Fabian Delph 67): 6. Didn’t really get going.
Riyad Mahrez (for Raheem Sterling 74): 6. Game long since over after he came on.
Man of the Match: Bernardo Silva
Manchester City 3, Fulham 0: GOALS
Fulham beaten after 98 seconds, Jean Michel Seri’s pass to Denis Odoi was intercepted by Fernandinho who crossed for Sane who had a tap in from 6 yards
21. Bernardo Silva cut back diverted to Sergio Aguero who laid it off into the path of David Silva who chested it down before lifting the ball in off the crossbar from inside the 6 yard box.
47. Raheem Sterling with a tap in from 3 yards out after Sergio Aguero cropped up on the right wing with the ball and sent a low cross in to make it 3-0
MATCH STATS – Manchester City 3, Fulham 0
Man City: Ederson, Walker, Otamendi, Laporte, Delph (Gundogan 67), Fernandinho, David Silva, Bernardo Silva, Sane, Sterling (Mahrez 74), Aguero (Jesus 53)
Man City Subs not used: Muric, Stones, Zinchenko, Foden
Goals: Sane 2, David Silva 21, Sterling 47
Fulham: Bettinelli, Christie, Odoi, Mawson, Sessegnon, McDonald, Seri (Anguissa 57), Johansen, Vietto (Ayite 69), Mitrovic, Schurrle
Fulham Subs not used: Fabri, Fosu-Mensah, Le Marchand, Chambers, Bryan