Views: 0
Manchester City battle hard to beat Fulham and return to Premier League summit
Story by John Cross 
Erling Haaland led the celebrations in front of the away fans on what felt like another big day.
Haaland scored from the spot after just three minutes (John Walton/PA)
Haaland scored his landmark 50th goal in all competitions and Manchester City went back to the top of the table as they closed in on a fifth title in six years.
But Pep Guardiola will not get many harder games in pursuit of the Treble as Fulham actually gave City a much harder game than Arsenal ’s meek surrender at the Etihad last Wednesday. City had to fight, scrap and battle for every ball at Craven Cottage which underlines just how tough it is to win the title. This was their eighth straight win in the Premier League and even Guardiola said it had arguably been their toughest.
Incredibly, City have been top for just 14 days this season, Arsenal have led the way for 247 days and Mikel Arteta’s men will return to the summit if they beat Chelsea on Tuesday.
But the reality is that City are in an irresistible winning groove now which helps them overcome the toughest obstacles, including Fulham.
Haaland’s incredible goalscoring feats deserve all the praise and headlines but Julian Alvarez’s wonder goal was decisive and his brilliant all-round performance gave City yet another dynamic.
They won the game even without Kevin De Bruyne – he was not risked because of a small injury – and Bernardo Silva was only a late substitute despite being one of their best players this season.
City boss Guardiola is a genius because he finds a way to win, Haaland is coming into his best form and he has got potentially another ten games to chase down more goal records.
This one takes him above Clive Allen who scored 49 for Tottenham in all competitions in the 1986/87 season, he has already broken the Premier League record for a 38 game season and only Dixie Dean’s record of 63 goals in 41 games in 1927/28 lies ahead as the pinnacle.
But this was all about the team ethic, the battling qualities and the way they scrapped in every challenge as Fulham refused to give up right until the end despite losing Tim Ream and Andreas Perreira with serious injuries.
That says everything about Fulham’s character because they had gifted City a penalty within two minutes thanks to Tim Ream’s clumsy challenge on Alvarez. Up stepped Haaland, smashed home his landmark goal and you thought that would be in the bag.
Carlos Vinicius levelled the scores (John Walton/PA)
But Fulham showed real grit to come back. Andreas Perreira’s ball over the top was flicked down by Harry Wilson and Carlos Vinicius smashed the ball into the net for a 16th minute equaliser.
Ream broke his arm after a tangle with Alvarez while Fulham keeper Bernd Leno denied Jack Grealish by pushing his shot onto the bar. Grealish got increasingly annoyed through the game which just about summed up City’s frustrations.
City’s second goal was always coming. Riyad Mahrez’s pass played in Alvarez who held off a couple of defenders, worked some space and then hit a sensational 20 yard shot which went over Leno and then dipped into the top corner. What a goal.
Leno kept Fulham in the contest with smart saves from Haaland and Alvarez while it got worse for Fulham when Perreira was stretchered off with his left leg in a brace after a horrible collision with Manuel Akanji who did well to play on.
But despite the setbacks, Fulham pushed City to the limit. City keeper Ederson saved bravely at the feet of Vincius, they screamed penalty after Kyle Walker appeared to push Bobby De Cordova-Reid and then Grealish and Kenny Tete both got booked after a bust-up.
It was feisty, furious and yet ultimately victorious for City and the wild celebrations with the fans at the final whistle told its own story.
Source:The Mirror