A fairly exceptional 5-4 win at Fulham noticed Metropolis transfer to inside two factors of leaders Arsenal on an unforgettable evening that additionally noticed Erling Haaland be part of the Premier League 100 membership and Phil Foden bag one other good brace.
Haaland’s good sixteenth minute opener at Craven Cottage noticed the Norwegian – who additionally twice struck the publish – turn into the quickest participant in Premier League historical past to attain the feat, the 25-year-old reaching the three-figure mark in simply 111 video games.
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With Pep Guardiola’s facet in luxurious first half kind, Tijjani Reijnders (37) and Phil Foden (44) prolonged Metropolis’s lead earlier than Emile Smith Rowe’s first half damage time header narrowed the deficit.
Nevertheless, Foden struck once more quickly after the restart to assert a second successive brace with Jeremy Doku then making it 5 on 54 minutes.
At 5-1 up, that ought to have been that. As an alternative Fulham roared again, staging a grandstand end in what served as one of the exceptional Premier League video games in years.
In what was a veritable aim frenzy, Alex Iwobi struck once more for Fulham on 57 minutes earlier than substitute Samuel Chuckwueze struck twice on 72 and 78 minutes to arrange a frantic and nervy finale.
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Nevertheless, Metropolis held on, Josko Gvardiol clearing off the road on 96 minutes, with victory seeing Pep Guardiola’s males slender the hole on Arsenal to 2 factors although the Gunners do have a sport in hand.
The sport in SUMMARY
Metropolis as they did on the weekend towards Leeds made an explosive begin and solely the width of the publish denied Haaland a sixth minute opener after the striker had latched onto a luxurious Phi Foden help.
TON UP ERLING: The Metropolis striker celebrates after mentioning his Metropolis Premier League century.
Foden’s pinpoint ball cut up the Fulham defence aside to place Haaland within the clear however his shot from 15 yards struck the foot of the left publish after which cannoned throughout the aim line to security for the relieved hosts.
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Nevertheless, with Metropolis in excellent early kind the large man was to not be denied – and he struck in fairly beautiful vogue on 16 minutes to smash house a deserved opening aim – and so deliver up his century of Premier League targets for Metropolis.
Doku was the architect, drilling in an inviting cross from the left wing.
Tijjani Reijnders deftly dummied the cross to let it discover Haaland and the large man unleashed a first-time crackerjack of a left footed shot from 15 yards out to affix the Premier League 100 membership, the striker attaining the feat in document time.
It wasn’t all one-way visitors nevertheless and Metropolis have been then indebted to Gianluigi Donnarumma on 24 minutes when the Italian keeper made a surprising save to get down low and deny Emile Smith Rowe’s effort from 12 yards.
DOUBLE DELIGHT: The celebrations start after Tijjani Reijnders’ good aim.
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However with Metropolis purring, Haaland then demonstrated his all-round high quality, turning supplier eight minutes from the break as Reijnders deservedly doubled the Blues’ benefit.
Haaland’s deft move put Reijnders within the clear and the Dutch midfielder executed a deft dink to beat advancing Fulham ‘keeper Bernd Leno for his first strike because the opening day of the season at Wolves.
A fairly great first half show was then additional amplified on 43 minutes with Phil Foden extending his personal magnificent kind by despatching a surprising 22-yard effort to additional prolong the lead.
Fulham although did declare a foothold again within the sport as Smith Rowe headed house with a positive header from Harry Wilson’s cross in first half damage time.
GET IN: The smile says all of it after Phil Foden’s magnificent third aim.
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Metropolis although wasted no time after the restart as we prolonged our three-goal lead with Foden grabbing a brace for the second successive sport.
Haaland was once more the instigator, Jeremy Doku’s cross clipping the striker’s heel and discovering the onrushing Foden who fired house from a decent angle on the fitting fringe of the field.
Doku then obtained in on the scoring act on 54 minutes, the Belgian’s effort discovering the goal off Sander Berge’s knee.
Alex Iwobi struck once more on 57 minutes for Fulham to deliver the hole again down to a few targets.
And Haaland was then denied by the publish as soon as once more on 70 minutes, his thumping header clanging again off the woodwork from Savinho’s inviting cross.
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However out of nowhere Fulham all of the sudden modified the complete temper of the sport as substitute Samuel Chukwueze struck twice on 72 and 78 minutes to extremely make it 5-4.
It arrange a rip-roaring finale.
With eight added minutes the stress was insufferable and Josko Gvardiol cleared off the road from Josh King as, fortunately, Metropolis held agency to seal a win no-one will ever overlook.
TEAMS
FULHAM XI: Leno, Tete (Castagne 45), Andersen, Bassey, Sessegnon, Berge, Lukic (Chukwueze 45) , Smith Rowe (King 74), Wilson (Kevin 81), Raul (Kusi-Asare 74), Iwobi
Subs: Lecomte, Cuenca, Reed, Cairney
CITY XI: Donnarumma, Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly, Nico (Stones 63), Bernardo (C), Reijnders (Cherki 82), Foden (Ake 95), Doku (Savinho 63), Haaland
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Subs: Trafford, Marmoush, Ait-Nouri, Khusanov, Lewis
Attendance: 26,700
PHIL YER BOOTS: Phil Foden begins the celebration after his second and Metropolis’s fourth.
Star participant
Who else however Erling Haaland?
One aim, two assists, and two efforts that cannoned again off the weoodwork.
All this on an evening when the Norwegian joined the Premier League 100 membership.
It’s a privilege and a pleasure to observe him in motion.
Tonderful
One other landmark evening for Erling Haaland noticed the Norwegian be part of the illustrious Premier League 100 membership.
He has achieved that feat in simply 111 video games – 13 faster than earlier document holder Alan Shearer.
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The Craven Cottage strike additionally prolonged Haaland’s exceptional document towards Fulham.
FIVE STAR: Jeremy Doku wheels away after netting Metropolis’s fifth aim.
It made it seven targets in seven Premier League appearances towards the Londoners – probably the most of any participant since Fulham returned to the topflight in 2022/23.
Additional proof constructive, if any have been wanted, of Haaland’s superhuman feats.
London calling
Tonight’s victory – nerve shredding because it was – additionally additional prolonged Metropolis’s unbelievable document towards Fulham.
It’s now 19 successive wins towards the Cottagers in all competitions – and 16 Premier League wins on the bounce too towards Marco Silva’s males.
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The truth that Fulham had solely misplaced as soon as at house all season up till this night solely serves to additional amplify the magnitude of Metropolis’s achievement.
CENTRE OF ATTENTION: Tijjani Reijnders on the coronary heart of the motion.
Pep’s response
To comply with
Participant response
To comply with
THE BOSS: Pep Guardiola appears on.
What it means
The victory strikes Metropolis to inside two factors of leaders Arsenal who aren’t in motion till tomorrow evening.
The Blues now have 28 factors from 14 video games. The Gunners have 30 from 13 matches and so they play host to Brentford tomorrow night.
What’s subsequent
Metropolis are again in Premier Leage motion on the Etihad on Saturday afternoon after we play host to Sunderland.
Kick-off towards the Black Cats is pencilled in for 15.00 (UK).
