Manchester City edge past Fulham in dramatic 5-4 encounter
Pep Guardiola joked about his age and that his players ‘don’t respect me’ after Manchester City survived a late Fulham comeback to win 5-4 at Craven Cottage on Tuesday night, reports BritPanorama.
City appeared in complete command during the fixture, only for Fulham to mount a furious late charge that left Guardiola pacing the touchline as his defence clung on.
Erling Haaland opened the scoring before Tijjani Reijnders added a second, and Phil Foden’s precise finish cancelled out Emile Smith Rowe’s earlier strike for Fulham. When Foden struck again shortly after the restart and a Jeremy Doku effort ricocheted into the net off Sander Berge for an own goal, City looked out of sight.
But Marco Silva’s side refused to give in. Alex Iwobi pulled one back, then Samuel Chukwueze scored twice in the closing stages to haul Fulham within touching distance of an improbable equaliser. City ultimately held firm to close the gap on league leaders Arsenal to two points, though Mikel Arteta’s side still have a match in hand.
Guardiola, reflecting on the chaotic contest in the capital, responded in typically theatrical fashion. “I’m so old, and the players don’t respect me!” he quipped. “They don’t have to treat their manager in that way. It only happens in this league. We played a fantastic game… Listen, there were some really positive things in what we have done. To come here, to score five goals, and the way we played in that first half.”
He acknowledged the growing concerns as Fulham surged forward with momentum swinging violently, stating, “Of course, I was concerned. But this will help us in future games. Every game is a new team for some players. You have to make a process to start to correct.”
Silva, meanwhile, was quick to praise his team’s response in adversity. “If you talk about character, of course what they showed was impressive. Normally if you’re losing with a heavy score, home or away, against a side like City, many things can come in the mind.”
In a night filled with drama, Haaland also reached a personal milestone, becoming the fastest player to 100 Premier League goals. The Norwegian forward described the contest as “a crazy game,” adding: “If you’re sitting at home now you enjoyed that game.”
As the dust settles on this thrilling encounter, it serves as a reminder of how even the best can be tested under pressure. A spectacle that likely isn’t forgotten soon — not just for the goals scored but for the resilience displayed on both sides.
