Manchester Metropolis return to the Etihad Stadium as they host Fulham within the Premier League.
Pep Guardiola’s aspect are available in off the again of a chaotic victory towards Liverpool, the place Erling Haaland grabbed Metropolis a final ditch winner from the penalty spot.
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The reverse fixture at Craven Cottage was equally as entertaining, as Fulham fought again to solely lose 5-4 to a Metropolis aspect that had been 5-1 up and cruising.
Listed here are 5 issues to look out for as Metropolis welcome Fulham to east Manchester:
The return of Bobb
It’ll be good to see Oscar Bobb return to the Etihad Stadium just some weeks after departing for Fulham.
The Norwegian winger simply didn’t kick on after his harm, and located himself behind Phil Foden, Rayan Cherki, Antoine Semenyo, Jeremy Doku, Savinho and Omar Marmoush within the pecking order.
He sealed a £27 million transfer to Fulham on the finish of the window, and he might make his first begin for Marco Silva’s workforce on Wednesday night.
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Bobb is a particularly technical, proficient particular person who works laborious off the ball and has a superb angle.
Nevertheless, it seems from Guardiola’s feedback that he feels the 22-year-old lacks self esteem, notably following his harm, so wanted to depart for the beneficiary of his profession.
It’ll be good to welcome him house, however Metropolis’s defenders might be conscious that he’s a top quality footballer who may cause them issues in the event that they don’t handle him effectively.
Stones on the bench
Lastly again from harm – in the intervening time a minimum of – is John Stones.
Metropolis’s quantity 5 is coming into the ultimate few months of his contract, and it’s impossible that his deal might be renewed as a result of variety of centre backs on the membership and the accidents he’s suffered because the treble.
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The 31-year-old is likely one of the greatest centre backs on this planet on his day, however innocuous accidents carry on getting the higher of him and leaving him sidelined for months.
His final look was, in reality, the reverse fixture greater than two months in the past, the place he got here on and struggled in holding midfield.
He’s been an amazing servant for Metropolis and is able to return to the matchday squad, as he’s set to make his last few appearances after almost ten years in a Metropolis shirt.
Cherki and Reijnders beginning as tens
Each of those two have been in respectable type of late, and may come into the workforce having been benched towards Liverpool.
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Cherki got here on and maybe ought to’ve scored, had it not been for a VAR intervention that adjudged Haaland fouled Dominik Szoboszlai within the construct up having simply been fouled himself.
Tijjani Reijnders, in the meantime, loved most likely his greatest recreation since his Premier League debut towards Wolves in August towards Newcastle United within the Carabao Cup semi last second leg.
The Dutchman ran the present in midfield and performed a task in all three objectives, scoring the third one himself after carrying the ball up the pitch on the counter and ultimately dispatching a free ball into the again of the online.
Each have a number of room to enhance however have additionally confirmed to be efficient buys up to now for Metropolis, and I’d wish to see them each begin towards Fulham.
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Haaland scoring once more
Metropolis’s quantity 9 might be flowing with confidence after his final minute objective gained the sport at Anfield.
Haaland hasn’t had a fantastic run of kind since Christmas, however he’s obtained three objective contributions in his final two begins and total regarded a lot sharper within the final 20 minutes of the Newcastle and Liverpool video games.
He’s the most effective striker on this planet on his day and arguably the most effective goalscorer the Premier League has ever seen, so you’ll be able to’t again towards him discovering the again of the online towards Fulham, who he enjoys an excellent file towards with 10 objective contributions in seven video games.
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A win at house for Metropolis
Metropolis’s house kind has remained glorious even throughout their latest inconsistent run.
They haven’t misplaced on the Etihad since August, and have gained their final 4 matches there in all competitions.
Fulham are a superb workforce with glorious attackers that may damage Metropolis, as they demonstrated in December, but when Metropolis are on their recreation they need to cruise to victory forward of the FA Cup on Saturday.