Kovacic net brace as Manchester City beat Fulham

Mateo Kovacic scored twice as Manchester City secured their first Premier League victory in three matches, overcoming a resilient Fulham side.

City controlled the early minutes of the game, but it was Raul Jimenez’s remarkable backheel cross that set up Andreas Pereira for a close-range goal.

Adama Traore squandered two significant opportunities during this period, first being denied by Ederson in a one-on-one situation and then sending a shot over the bar from inside the box.

Kovacic made Traore pay for those missed chances. His first goal came from a half-cleared corner, where he struck the ball first time, and it found the net via a deflection.

Just after the start of the second half, he added his second with a clean shot from the edge of the area.

Fulham looked to stage a comeback when Traore outpaced Kyle Walker but once again shot straight at Ederson.

City continued to give away chances, but Jeremy Doku eventually drifted in from the left and unleashed a stunning strike into the far top corner, seemingly sealing the game for City.

However, the match took a late twist when substitute Rodrigo Muniz was left unmarked in the box, giving Fulham a glimmer of hope. Despite their efforts, Marco Silva’s side was unable to find an equalizer.

With this win, City extends their unbeaten run to 50 home games across all competitions, becoming only the fourth team in English top-flight history to achieve this feat.

City fans displayed a banner in their manager Pep Guardiola’s native Catalan language before the match, expressing their desire for him to remain with the club. Guardiola’s contract is set to expire at the end of this season, and he has remained non-committal about his future.

It is a well-known fact that Manchester City performs better with defensive midfielder Rodri in the starting lineup. However, since he sustained a season-ending injury while leading 1-0 against Arsenal, the team drew that match and subsequently struggled against Newcastle in their next Premier League fixture.

Not winning this match would have meant City would go three Premier League games without a victory for the first time in 2024, and at one point, that seemed like a genuine possibility. If Traore had capitalized on his opportunities, Fulham could have been ahead 2-0 or even 3-0.

Since Rodri’s injury, Mateo Kovacic and Ilkay Gundogan have formed City’s double pivot, essentially two players attempting to fill Rodri’s role. While neither can match Rodri’s defensive capabilities, Kovacic emerged as the key player in this match. His first goal provided City with a crucial equalizer, especially as Fulham seemed poised to score again, and his second goal gave City the lead just as fans were returning from halftime refreshments.

Most fans in the stadium believed the game was sealed when substitute Doku netted a spectacular third goal from the edge of the box. While Kovacic’s goals were important, they lacked the stability that Rodri provides, leaving City to cling on during injury time after Muniz found the net.

This match has equaled Manchester City’s longest unbeaten run in their league history—30 matches, matching the streak from April 2017 to January 2018.

City manager Pep Guardiola praised his counterpart, Marco Silva, for the exceptional work he has done at Fulham prior to the match. However, Fulham has historically struggled in this fixture, suffering 16 consecutive defeats to City, a record for the longest losing streak one English league side has against another.

Despite this, the Cottagers presented more challenges to City than many of the world’s top teams have managed at the Etihad Stadium. Their opening goal was remarkable, with Jimenez executing a brilliant backheel that set up former Manchester United player Pereira for the score.

Traore’s inability to finish could have hindered his career at the highest level with Barcelona, and the game might have turned out differently if he had converted his opportunities. He missed two one-on-one situations, both of which were easily saved by Ederson, and he also blazed another chance over the bar from about 10 yards out.

Following only their second defeat of the season, Fulham remains in sixth place in the table, and Silva will have found plenty of reasons for optimism in his team’s performance.