Manchester City vs Fulham Preview

• City to win
• Over 1.5 goals

City’s Quest to Reclaim Top Spot

Manchester City find themselves in an unfamiliar position, trailing Liverpool in the Premier League title race after battling Arsenal for supremacy in the last two seasons.

Consecutive league draws have seen Pep Guardiola’s side slip behind early on, but an unbeaten run of 29 league matches (W23, L6) – coupled with a midweek demolition of Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League – suggests that City could quickly return to their winning ways.

The Etihad Stadium has been a fortress for City, who have not been beaten in 90 minutes in 49 consecutive competitive home matches.

They have the opportunity to become only the fourth English top-flight team to hit the half-century mark of unbeaten home games, and they will feel confident doing so against a Fulham side they’ve beaten in 16 consecutive head-to-head (H2H) encounters—the longest winning run of any English side against another in history.

Fulham’s Strong Start and Chance for an Upset

While confidence may not be sky-high as they head to the Etihad, Fulham can be encouraged by their impressive start to the season.

Despite losing on the opening night to Manchester United, Marco Silva’s team has since remained unbeaten in the Premier League (W3, D2), making this their joint-best start to a top-flight season. As a result, Fulham currently sit in the top-six and a famous victory over City could catapult them into the top-four.

Fulham have previously shown they can win on this ground, with three of their four Premier League H2H victories against City coming at the Etihad.

However, they face an uphill battle given their 18-match winless streak against City in the Premier League (D3, L15), highlighting the historical challenge they must overcome to pull off a major upset.

Key Players to Watch

Joško Gvardiol (Manchester City)

Gvardiol opened his scoring account for the season against Newcastle last week, and he’s proven to be a threat early in matches, with three of his six City goals coming as the match opener inside 35 minutes.

His presence on set pieces and defensive solidity make him a critical player for City as they look to maintain their defensive strength.

Raúl Jiménez (Fulham)

Jiménez has been in superb form this season, scoring in three consecutive Premier League games for the first time since 2019.

His confidence in front of goal is evident, especially from the penalty spot, as he boasts an impeccable record of eight successful conversions from eight attempts in the Premier League. Only three players have taken more penalties without missing in competition history, making Jiménez a key figure in Fulham’s attacking play.

Manchester City’s Home Dominance vs Fulham’s Recent Form

• Manchester City’s home record: Unbeaten in 49 consecutive competitive home matches, aiming to become the fourth English top-flight team to reach a 50-game streak.
• H2H dominance: City have won the last 16 H2H matches against Fulham, the longest winning streak one English side has had over another.
• Fulham’s strong start: Unbeaten in the Premier League since the opening night loss to Manchester United (W3, D2).

Conclusion

Manchester City’s dominance at the Etihad Stadium and their historical advantage over Fulham make them heavy favourites for this match.

However, Fulham’s unbeaten streak since their opening loss and solid form in the early part of the season suggest they will not be easy opposition.

While City are expected to control possession and dictate the pace, Fulham’s counter-attacking threat could make for an intriguing encounter.

Prediction: Manchester City to secure a comfortable win, but Fulham’s strong start to the season may see them make it a closer contest than anticipated.

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Man City v Fulham, 2024/25 | Premier League