Fulham 0, Manchester City 4
Manchester City returned to the top of the Premier League with a record 16th straight win against Fulham at Craven Cottage.
Embed from Getty ImagesA double strike from in-form Josko Gvardiol plus goals by Phil Foden and Julian Alvarez ensured that the Blues recorded a 21st Premier League game unbeaten and crucially laid down the gauntlet to second place Arsenal who play at Manchester United tomorrow.
The 4-0 victory also closed the goal difference gap on Arsenal to just 2 goals as the title race came down to the last 8 days.
Pep Guardiola had named just one change from the side who beat Wolves at the weekend with Kyle Walker, who had not trained this week, replaced by Ruben Dias.
Guardiola had to roll the dice on the fitness of Walker though as Nathan Ake had to be taken off after just 22 minutes for the City captain after stretching to reach a ball.
By that time City had already taken the lead.
Josko Gvardiol exchanged passes with Kevin De Bruyne before cutting inside from the left and slotting home from 15 yards out after just 12 minutes.
De Bruyne’s teasing cross was blazed over by Manuel Akanji as City looked to double their lead but the Blues had to wait until the 59th minute before Phil Foden, the Football Writer’s Footballer of the Year, pounced on the loose ball after Bernardo Silva was tackled on the edge of the box and tucked it inside the near post to beat Bernd Leno.
Erling Haaland could have closed the goal gap still further but blazed over a great chance set up by De Bruyne two minutes later.
Bernardo Silva’s cross following a short corner routine between Foden and De Bruyne gave Gvardiol the opportunity to make it 3-0 for City after 71 minutes – his ball going in under Leno.
It was his 5th goal of the season all coming in the last 7 games as the Croatian finished the season strongly in a more advanced left flank role.
Issa Drop was sent off for a second yellow card after bringing down substitute Julian Alvarez – and the Argentine made no mistake from the penalty spot in the 96th minute to record City’s biggest ever win at Craven Cottage.
The win put City back on top of the Premier League by 2 points – and the pressure will be on for Arsenal to repeat the feat when they visit Old Trafford tomorrow.