Manchester City will welcome Fulham to Etihad Stadium this Saturday looking to get maximum points and extend their unbeaten start at home this season.
Venue: Etihad Stadium (Manchester)
Key Statistics
Manchester City have won their last 14 home games in all competitions.
They are unbeaten in their last 18 home games in all competitions (W16, D2).
The hosts have scored 3+ goals in eight of their last nine games at home.
Man City have scored within the first 25 minutes in each of their last four Premier League games at home.
No PL player has contributed to more goals this calendar year than Man City’s Kevin De Bruyne (16G, 24A).
Fulham have lost their last eight visits to the Etihad Stadium, scoring only once in the process.
They have scored in each of their last five away games (W2, L3).
Fulham have scored 22 goals and also conceded 22 goals in the league this season.
Head to head
In 28 Premier League meetings between both sides, Manchester City have 15 wins while Fulham have just four wins (D9).
Latest performances in all competitions
Manchester City: W-W-D-W-L
Fulham: D-W-W-D-L
Manchester City
Manchester City will look to go top of the Premier League table just temporarily when they host Fulham on Saturday.
The hosts kept the pace with Arsenal at the top of the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Leicester City last weekend. In a cagey affair at the King Power Stadium, a Kevin De Bruyne free kick in the second half made the difference and ensured that City can go on top of the table on Saturday as Arsenal do not play until Sunday.
The Cityzens continued on that winning run in midweek as a second-string side came from behind to beat Sevilla 3-1 in the Champions League. The win extended their unbeaten run to four games (W3, D1) and they will be hoping for the same when Fulham come to the Etihad.
However, the absence of striker Erling Haaland who remains sidelined due to injury might hurt Pep Guardiola’s side. Yet, in his absence, Julián Álvarez performed admirably well, with a goal and two assists against Sevilla on Wednesday. And so Guardiola will be hoping for more of the same from the Argentine player if Haaland misses out again.
Having won their last 14 games at home in all competitions, City will come into this tie confident of making it 15 consecutive home wins in all competitions.
Possible Manchester City starting line-up
Ederson; Manuel Akanji, John Stones, Aymeric Laporte, Joao Cancelo; Ilkay Gündogan, Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish; Julián Álvarez.
Injured: Kyle Walker, Kalvin Phillips
Doubtful: Erling Haaland
Suspended: None
Fulham
Fulham will look to extend their unbeaten run in the Premier League when they face City on Saturday.
The visitors have enjoyed a good return to the Premier League this season, having won five of their opening 13 games (D4, L4).
They come into this tie on the back of a goalless draw with Everton–a result that Fulham boss Marco Silva described as a “really unfair result” after the London club converted none of their 24 goal attempts.
Despite that frustrating display, his side will be pleased that they come into this tie unbeaten in their last four games (W2, D2) and sitting in a very creditable seventh place.
A game against City will show how far they have come, especially as they have lost their last eight visits to this stadium, only scoring once in the process.
However, Silva’s men should back themselves to cause a nuisance after netting in each of their last five league away games (W2, L3). Yet the bigger issue is leaking goals at the other end as they have conceded an average of 2.2 goals per game during that sequence.
Possible Fulham starting line-up
Bernd Leno; Kenny Tete, Issa Diop, Tim Ream; Antonee Robinson, Harrison Reed; João Palhinha; Harry Wilson, Andreas Pereira, Willian; Aleksandar Mitrovic.
Injured: Neeskens Kebano, Layvin Kurzawa, Manor Solomon
Doubtful: None
Suspended: Bobby Reid
Odds
Prediction
Manchester City 3-1 Fulham
