Fulham host Manchester City in the Premier League this afternoon and could have a crucial role to play in the title race. Pep Guardiola’s side are hoping to become the first team to win the English top flight in four successive seasons and will jump back into first place if they beat the Cottagers in Saturday’s early kick-off.
They head into the weekend one point behind league leaders Arsenal but still control their own destiny with just three games left to play. The Gunners face a potentially difficult trip to Manchester United on Sunday and have played a game more than their title rivals.
By contrast, Fulham have secured their spot in the Premier League for next season and have little to play for at this stage of the campaign. With two games left to play, they could potentially finish inside the top 10 but would need a heap of other results to also fall their way. Cottagers boss Marco Silva will want his side to finish the season strongly yet his mind may already be turning to Fulham’s summer transfer plans.
Follow all the action from Craven Cottage plus get the latest odds and tips for the Premier League right here:
Fulham 0-0 Manchester City
3 mins: The last touch was actually off a Fulham man, so City briefly had possession once more.
Fulham win a throw to gain it back though.
Fulham 0-0 Manchester City
2 mins: The corner is headed away but Fulham come again, with Ruben Dias putting Robinson’s cross behind for another corner.
Fulham 0-0 Manchester City
1 min: Fulham have the first meaningful attack of the day as Pereira is played through down the left, but his cross is turned behind for a corner.
KICK-OFF! Fulham 0-0 Manchester City
KICK-OFF! There’s a brief round of applause in memory of Viv Busby, who passed away earlier this week.
The home side get us underway in the south London sun.
Fulham vs Manchester City LIVE
The teams are out as we approach kick-off.
City know that a win takes them one step closer to a fourth league title in a row, but a loss – or even a draw – would put the title back into Arsenal’s hands.
Fulham are safe with nothing left to play for, but such teams often enjoy having a say in the title race if they can.
To give you an indication of the general predictions, City are heavy favourites, priced as low as 2/9 with the bookies.
A Fulham win is offered at 10/1, with a draw 6/1!
Is Fulham v Manchester City on TV?
As we approach just 10 minutes before kick-off, a reminder of how you can watch today’s early match.
The game is due to kick-off at 12.30pm BST at Craven Cottage. Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on TNT Sports 1, while subscribers can stream the action via discovery+.
Manchester United have gone past embarrassment – but they are still a danger to Arsenal
The other big game this week takes place tomorrow, and pits Mikel Arteta’s impressive Arsenal side against Erik ten Hag’s struggling Manchester United.
It’s got to the point where, after nights like Monday, Erik ten Hag doesn’t really know what to say any more. That’s part of the problem at Manchester United right now. The manager’s approaches aren’t getting responses, and many of the players have stopped listening. That’s what makes a defeat like that 4-0 to Crystal Palace inevitable, while also inuring the squad to the effects of such humiliations.
It’s worse because there have now been so many. This was no longer abnormal, even for a club like United. There have been at least nine matches in Ten Hag’s two seasons alone that have descended into farce.
All of which brings us to this Sunday, which has immense potential to offer another game on the humiliation list. Except, there is a conspicuous absence from that list, that also goes back much further. If you extend it past Ten Hag’s time, after all, Tottenham Hotspur would get on for their 6-1 victory at Old Trafford in 2020. Arsenal wouldn’t appear, though. Their record at Old Trafford is so poor, having won just once there in their last 16 league visits.
Read Miguel Delaney’s match preview below.
Match stats
Fulham have won just one of these 15 Premier League home games against Manchester City, beating them 2-1 in November 2005 under Chris Coleman. City have scored in all 15 of these Premier League games at Craven Cottage.
City have won their past 15 meetings with Fulham in all competitions, which is the joint-longest winning run any team has had against another in competitive English football history. City also have 15-game runs against Bournemouth and Watford.
On-form Erling Haaland has five goals in his three appearances against the Cottagers, with three coming earlier this season in a 5-1 win at the Etihad.
Mikel Arteta: I would have taken Arsenal’s current position at start of season
City’s title rivals will be keeping a watchful eye on today’s early kick-off, with the Gunners knowing that any City slip-up would hand them the advantage before they play Manchester United tomorrow.
And even though the destination of the trophy is not in their hands, Mikel Arteta insists he would have accepted Arsenal’s position in the Premier League title race heading into the final two weeks of the season had he been offered it at the start of the campaign.
Mikel Arteta’s side could win both of their remaining games and still not end a 20-year wait for a league title as Manchester City will usurp them if they win all of the three fixtures they have left to play.
“I would take the pen and sign it,” the Spaniard replied when asked if he would have taken Arsenal’s current position before a ball had been kicked this season.
How the teams are faring
City’s recent form has been well-publicised, with Guardiola’s side not having lost in the league since December (a 1-0 loss to Aston Villa).
The Cityzens have won their last five league games 5-1, 2-0, 4-0, 5-1 and 4-2.
Fulham’s recent results have been far more mixed. Marco Silva’s side drew 0-0 to Brentford last time out, with their last win coming against West Ham on 14 April.
In between these two games they drew 1-1 to Crystal Palace and lost 3-1 to Liverpool.
Source: independent.co.uk
