Fulham played host to Manchester City on a gripping, cold night as it rained at Craven Cottage in full measure. Match Day 14 of the EPL it was, but also the match had another significance. Erling Haaland had the opportunity to score his 100th goal in the EPL.
The match began with Manchester City playing the kind of football which the men in blue have become famous for in the past decade. Creativity, speed, elegance, whatever you call it, was distinctly visible. It was going to be City’s night, and it almost turned out that way.
Erling Haaland was denied by the goal frame early on, but for how long can you deny a goal-scoring machine? The Norwegian biggy scored his 100th goal with a powerful finish in the 17th minute, thus becoming the fastest to 100 goals in EPL history. The record came in his 111th game, eclipsing Alan Shearer’s record of 124 games.
Tijjani Reinders made it 2-0 a few minutes later from a lovely Haaland pass and then Phil Foden, in the form of his life, produced a breathtaking left footer from the edge of the box, which tailed in and entered the net to the right of Fulham’s goalkeeper Leno.
Fulham were getting annihilated, but a bit of spark at the stroke of half-time saw Emile Smith-Rowe score with a very fine header. City were ahead 3-1 at halftime.
Foden, then, got his brace with a fine goal early in the second half, almost closing out the match as such and adding further insult to injury an own goal from Fulham made the scoreline read 5-1 in favour of City. It was curtains for Fulham at Craven Cottage, believed all and sundry. But football is difficult to guess, and there is always a bit more than what meets the eye.
Manchester City, being way ahead in the game, relaxed a bit, which Fulham took full advantage of and staged a crazy fight back in the cold of the night.
Iwobi scored in the 57th minute to make it 5-2, and then it was a show from Samuel Chukwueze. The Nigerian struck two telling blows in the 72nd and 78th minute as Fulham roared back into the game, virtually laying siege on the City goal with Donnarumma under immense pressure.
In the interim, Haaland hit the frame twice over, but could not score, while Fulham once again came close to scoring in the dying minutes of the game, but City somehow managed to keep the ball away.
The match ended with Manchester City winning 5-4, but Fulham walked away with their heads held high, in one of the finest games of the season so far.
With the win, City consolidated their position at no. 2 on the leader board with 28 points, and if Arsenal slip up a bit, City will have a great chance to climb over the Gunners.
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