The tough games continue this week with a match against the best team in Europe, Manchester City. Will we upset the apple cart and get a historic win?
If you had told me a few months ago that Fulham had a chance of staying up, I’d have thought you were crazy. I wrote them off and I’ll admit I was wrong. Our win over Liverpool was incredible. Our team is one that I have fallen in love with, and I can’t believe I am saying this, but getting points against City isn’t out of the question entirely. If we keep De Bruyne quiet and defend like we did in recent times, we have a chance. Bar their performance against Man United, City have looked dominant and the quality they have will make this incredibly tough for us.
I would make no changes to the team that beat Liverpool. We need to keep momentum, so consistency is important. The energy in midfield will be crucial to hopefully cancel out their chances. Loftus-Cheek and Robinson off the bench have the ability to make an impact if they are called upon.
A point is possible, but I think City’s quality will show.
PREDICTION: FULHAM 1-2 MAN CITY
PREFERRED LINE-UP: 4-4-2
HEAD TO HEAD
LEAGUE RECORD (OVERALL)
- GAMES PLAYED – 60
- FULHAM WINS – 15
- DRAWS – 15
- MAN CITY WINS – 30
- GOALS SCORED – 90
- GOALS CONCEDED – 132
LEAGUE RECORD (HOME)
- GAMES PLAYED – 30
- FULHAM WINS – 9
- DRAWS – 9
- MAN CITY WINS – 12
- GOALS SCORED – 55
- GOALS CONCEDED – 58
BIGGEST WINS AT FULHAM
- FULHAM 5-1 MAN CITY(1983/84)
- FULHAM 2-5 MAN CITY (1926/27)
- FULHAM 5-2 MAN CITY (1959/60)
- FULHAM 4-1 MAN CITY (1966/67)
- FULHAM 1-4 MAN CITY (2010/11)
- FULHAM 3-0 MAN CITY (1998/99)
LAST 5 GAMES
- MAN CITY 2-0 FULHAM
- MAN CITY 4-0 FULHAM (FA CUP)
- FULHAM 0-2 MAN CITY
- MAN CITY 2-0 FULHAM (LEAGUE CUP)
- MAN CITY 3-0 FULHAM
LEAGUE FORM
- FULHAM – WLDWD
- MAN CITY – LWWWW
COLLINS JOHN’S VIEW
Great result against Liverpool! It told you everything that you need to know about this team over the past few weeks. Resilient, brave, with everyone fighting for eachother and for the club. The players have had a taste of life in the Premier League and you can see that they are determined to stay there. They are proving that they belong, and that’s where the club deserves to be because Fulham are a Premier League club.
Credit to Scott once again for getting his tactics spot on. It was bold to play Lemina in midfield and to bring in Kenny Tete, with Ola Aina switching to left back. Robinson is very positive going forward but the other two are solid defensively and that was the right call for this type of game and of course, Mario scored the vital goal just before half time.
Liverpool had lost their last 5 home games in a row, but I don’t think they were that bad. Fulham were just too organised and confident in possession and thoroughly deserved the victory. I think we just wanted it more.
Now we move onto another tough game against Manchester City but that’s how it is in the Premier League. No game is easy and you are competing against the best sides in the country. We have to ensure that it’s a tight result. It’s going to be very difficult to take anything against a side who have won 21 of their last 22 league games. So whatever happens, it’s important that we don’t let them do too much damage to our goal difference.
Only Man City have conceded less goals than us since the start of December, so equally we won’t be easy to break down. If we don’t show them too much respect, we are capable of giving anyone a game and you never know in football…
Sadly, I think Man City are a level above anyone else in this division and will be too strong for us tonight. I’m going to predict a respectable defeat that doesn’t do much damage to our confidence or our chances or survival.
PREDICTION: FULHAM 0-2 MAN CITY
BATTLE TO WATCH
HARRISON REED VS KEVIN DE BRUYNE
Kevin De Bruyne needs no introduction. The Belgian has emerged as one of the best players in the world since joining Man City from Wolfsburg in 2015. His creativity and quality in the final third makes him incredibly dangerous for any opposition defence. He will be coming up against an in-form Harrison Reed who has been pivotal to our turnaround in form and some fans have started wondering if he has an outside chance of making the England squad. This will be one of the toughest tests of Reed’s career to date and another opportunity for him to catch the eye of Gareth Southgate.
LAST TIME OUT
MANCHESTER CITY 2-0 FULHAM (05/12/20)
The last time we played Man City we lost 2-0 at the Etihad Stadium. Sterling put his side in front, finishing past Areola from a one-on-one before he then decided to dive in the box amd winning his side a penalty. De Bruyne dispatched in a match where Areola and Anguissa stood out.
PLAYERS IN COMMON
DICKSON ETUHU
FULHAM APPEARANCES: 127
GOALS: 6
MAN CITY APPEARANCES: 13
Tosin Adarabioyo, Peter Beardsley, Wayne Bridge, Michael Brown, Andy Cole, Dickson Etuhu, Seko Fofana, Niclas Jensen, Rodney Marsh, Martin O’Neill, Pat Roberts, Kit Symons.
