Man City 3-2 Fulham: Post-match verdict

Michael Plant gives his thoughts after the full-time whistle at the Etihad after Manchester City hold on to a hard-fought 3-2 win over Fulham.

Transcript

00:00Manchester City 3 Fulham 2 here in the Premier League in what was a very

00:04entertaining game I have to say hugely contributed to by Fulham. Saudi

00:09actually came here in slightly better form and City haven't picked up 11

00:12points in the previous five games and it proved because they came here were very

00:15difficult to break down carried a real threat on the break and could have

00:20perhaps on another afternoon have come away with something but ultimately City

00:23another three points for them which extends their unbeaten run in the

00:26Premier League to 30 games equaling a club record but City largely have to

00:31thank Mateo Kovacic for the three points today he provided two goals and

00:35one in the first half one a couple of minutes into the second period first on

00:39a little bit of luck deflecting off Anderson and into the Fulham goal the

00:43second one fantastic goal control it with his left foot pick the spot with

00:47his right foot and just passed it into the bottom corner and Jeremy Doku came

00:52on in the latter stages when there were a few nerves perhaps around the Eddie

00:55had as Fulham pushed to try and find a way back into the game he scored to make

01:00it 3-1 at that stage he thought the game was done but Fulham did come back and

01:05provide or score a late goal via Moonies and to make it 3-2

01:09ultimately no chance of that but it was a little bit of a nervy feeling for City

01:12here and it was a game where once again they went behind that's actually all four

01:15Premier League games this season at home City have trailed at some point and they

01:19did go behind early on via Andreas Pereira of course a former Manchester United

01:23player certainly not the most popular goal scorer here a little bit of lax

01:26defending I think that was the case really for City all afternoon there was

01:29a couple of moments where I think individually they defended quite well at

01:32spells but as collective as a group it wasn't brilliant and it's a Kanji

01:37losing his man Pereira for the first goal and for the second goal it was a bit

01:41disappointing John Stones I thought overall because he again lost his man

01:45Moonies for the second goal it was also an interesting moment where Kyle Walker

01:49was outpaced by Adama Traore I suppose not a talking point as such in itself

01:53because Traore is such a rapid player it was actually so rare for Kyle Walker to

01:57be outpaced and outran that it was a talking point in itself a little bit

02:01concerning just for the ease at which Traore managed to get past him but this

02:05is a game that for City I suppose they had to knuckle down stay compact and

02:12organized in the latter stages and it was more of a battle perhaps than it has

02:15been in recent games they did come into this match of course with two draws

02:19it gets them back on to winning ways in the end this little period of the season

02:23before the October international break in second place just behind Liverpool

02:28plenty of positives for City I think they'll be pleased to get back to winning

02:30ways especially without Rodri and pleased that there were three goals scored

02:34without Erling Haaland that's been a big talking point over recent weeks how

02:37dependent City have been on the goals of the Norwegian but ultimately as I say

02:41perhaps a few concerns about City defensively