Manchester City showed no sign of nerves as they brushed aside Fulham to leapfrog Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table and take command of the title race.
City came into the weekend with everything in control, thanks to a game in hand, but still had to get the job done ahead of Arsenal’s trip to Old Trafford on Sunday. They did so with absolute ease, professionally dispatching Fulham without even a hint of a misstep.
Josko Gvardiol gave City the lead when he latched onto Kevin De Bruyne’s pass and slotted past Bernd Leno at the near post. City monopolised the ball in the first half and should have been 2-0 up at the break, but Manuel Akanji volleyed over from De Bruyne’s back-post cross.
Bernardo Silva had a shot saved by Leno before Fulham finally threatened the goal in the 57th minute when Rodrigo Muniz flicked Adama Traore’s cross towards goal. But it was game over soon after when Phil Foden fired a loose ball into the bottom corner off the inside of the post. Gvardiol then continued his remarkable scoring streak by adding another from Silva’s deep cross from a short corner, sparking raucous celebrations from the away end.
Julian Alvarez slotted in a late penalty after being chopped down by Issa Diop, who picked up a second yellow in the process. Here are the talking points.
The build-up to the game featured a bizarre – and depending on your allegiances – amusing discussion about Fulham’s players flying kites in training. The suggestion, of course, is that the mid-table side were on the beach and coasting towards the end of the season, much to the annoyance of Arsenal supporters.
Marco Silva angrily dismissed it in his pre-match press conference and, for the first few minutes, his opinion was born out as Fulham harried City and won a few 50/50s. That period did not last. City found their rhythm, established their passing game and gradually asserted complete and utter control of the game. As Peter Crouch said at half-time on TNT Sports: “City just suffocate teams, Fulham just can’t get out.”
With Rodri and Mateo Kovacic directing traffic, they knocked the ball around effortlessly and monotonously, like a magician sending his mark to sleep through hypnosis. Once Gvardiol’s goal hit the back of the net, thousands of Arsenal fans turned off, their hope having disappeared. Fulham didn’t even muster an effort on goal in the first half.
Games like this are custom-made for De Bruyne. The Belgian has missed the majority of this season through injury and yet still has nine assists in his 16 league matches. His positional intelligence, connection with his team-mates and ability to see a pass is simply unmatched. He ended the first half having created four chances – more than every other player on the pitch combined, who managed three between them.
De Bruyne is now on 111 assists in the Premier League, the same number as Cesc Fabregas, from just 258 appearances. Ryan Giggs, with 162, is the only player in the competition’s history with more. The fact that City are on course to win yet another Premier League title in a campaign in which they have struggled to keep clean sheets and missed their most influential player shows just how ludicrously strong they are.
Twenty-five goals this season. Twelve in his last 12 Premier League matches. Foden is on fire and looks absolutely unstoppable right now. The City playmaker has enjoyed by far the best season of his young career and Pep Guardiola deserves credit for the way he has nurtured him.
There were concerns that Foden might not be able to fit into the same team as De Bruyne, with both preferring to play in a free role behind the striker where they are able to wander into whatever space they are given. But they have dovetailed nicely, with the selfless Bernardo Silva operating on the right. Instead, it has been Jack Grealish and Jeremy Doku who have been sacrificed in this system.
With Euro 2024 around the corner, England fans are now thinking about how Foden will be utilised by Gareth Southgate. In form like this, it is tempting to play Foden as a No.10, but Jude Bellingham is at his best when bursting into the box from central areas. It’s certainly a nice problem to have.
Josko Gvardiol was not signed as a goalscorer. The Croatia international cost £77.6million from RB Leipzig last summer and took a fair while to get up to speed at his new club. Plenty of observers were surprised to see him settle at left-back, but it has proven yet another masterstroke from Guardiola.
Gvardiol’s first City goal came on April 9 in the 3-3 draw with Real Madrid. It appeared to be an anomaly then, but it has actually proven to be the start of a glut from the defender, who now has five in his last seven matches, as well as an assist. His first goal at Craven Cottage showed a player full of confidence, as he took De Bruyne’s pass in his stride, beat his defender and wrong-footed Leno with the finish. His second earned lavish praise from TNT Sports commentator Ally McCoist who marvelled at the control to keep it in play.
Over to you, Arsenal
Arsenal need a favour from one of City’s opponents if they are to win a first Premier League title in 20 years, and Fulham were not in a generous mood. They were simply overpowered and outclassed and didn’t even really lay a glove on their illustrious opponents. Arsenal now have to hope that Tottenham can fare better in north London on Tuesday night. If not, then it will come down to the final day of the season, when City play West Ham at home.
In truth, it is not looking likely. City are romping home to a sixth title in seven seasons and there is nothing to suggest they are going to fall at the penultimate or final hurdle. Arsenal now have to take care of their business at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon. Having lost on their last two trips there, it might not be straightforward.
