Manchester City romped to a nine-goal win at Fulham thanks to an attacking display that would normally stun their title rivals.
Unfortunately for Pep Guardiola’s side, City’s defensive performance may have given those same rivals a sigh of relief.
City led 5–1 early in the second half after Erling Haaland scored his 100th Premier League goal, a double from Phil Foden, a goal from Tijjani Rijnders and an own goal from Sander Berge. They were moving towards victory by a good margin.
But Fulham, led by substitute Samuel Chukwueze, hit back with three unanswered goals and even had an effort cleared off the line in stoppage time as they came close to completing one of the great comebacks.
City were on the ropes and close to absorbing the shots in search of points.
“I was close to scoring and then they went and made it 5-3, that’s football, that’s the beauty of football,” Haaland said.
“That’s why we love sports.”
The powerful Norwegian’s feat of reaching 100 goals in 111 Premier League games is the fastest century ever achieved in the competition, and he also provided two assists.
But City went from being a team that looked as if they could keep scoring, to being a team that was almost waiting for the final whistle to blow.
Guardiola later joked: “I’m too old, and the players don’t respect me! They shouldn’t treat their manager like that.”
“It only happens in this league.”
The win moved City two points clear of leaders Arsenal, although they know the gap will increase again to five if Mikel Arteta’s side win their game against Brentford on Wednesday.
<a href