Manchester City prevailed in a nine-goal feast at Fulham thanks to the sort of attacking display that would normally have title rivals quaking in their boots. Unfortunately for Pep Guardiola’s side, City’s defensive display will have had those same rivals sighing with relief.
City led 5-1 early in the second half after a 100th Premier League goal for Erling Haaland, a Phil Foden double, a strike from Tijjani Reijnders and a Sander Berge own goal. They looked to be cruising to a comfortable victory.
But Fulham, inspired by substitute Samuel Chukwueze, hit back with three unanswered goals and even had one effort cleared off the line in stoppage time as they came close to completing one of the great comebacks. City were on the ropes in the closing stages, absorbing pressure as they clung on for a 5-4 win and all three points.
“I was close to scoring and then they went and made it 5-3, so that’s football, that’s the beauty of football,” said Haaland. “That’s why we love the game.”
Haaland’s century — 100 Premier League goals in 111 games — is the fastest anyone has reached that mark in the competition, and he added two assists in the match.
While City’s attack remains unarguably potent — their first four shots on target became goals in this game, and Haaland and Foden are in electric form — the defence is a growing concern. After 14 Premier League games this season City have conceded 16 goals, more than double Arsenal’s seven conceded in 13 games.
It is rare in Guardiola’s title-winning seasons for City to have let in so many goals this early; it has only happened once before (2023-24) in his six title campaigns. Former Premier League striker Clinton Morrison said on BBC Radio 5 Live: “You can’t expect to win the Premier League when you defend like that. There’s a problem with Manchester City defensively. I’ve said it all season that we know they can score goals, no bother with them the way they’re going forward, but defensively they have to be better. They need to be better defensively because you’d never see Arsenal be 5-1 up and end like that, so they have to sort that out.”
Some context to how unusual the match was: it was Fulham’s first top-flight game with nine or more goals since a 7-2 loss at West Ham in February 1968 and their first home game with as many goals since a 6-3 defeat by Aston Villa in September 1965. For City, it was the 41st time in 356 Premier League games under Guardiola that they had scored at least five goals. It was also the first time City have won a league match in which they conceded four goals since a 5-4 victory against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough in December 1957. This was the sixth Premier League game involving Manchester City to see at least nine goals scored; only Manchester United (seven) have been involved in more such games.
City have conceded 10 goals in their most recent four matches in all competitions, though in the four before that they let in just three — a fluctuation Guardiola hopes can be addressed quickly. “Of course I was concerned [Fulham could come back], but this will help us in future games,” Guardiola said. “Every game is a new team for some players. You have to make a process to start to correct. 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. In the end, it was a question of character, resilience and defence. They did what they had to do.”
By holding on, the win put City two points behind leaders Arsenal, though that gap can increase depending on Arsenal’s next result. The match underlined that while City’s firepower can win tight contests, shoring up the defence remains essential if they are to close down Arsenal and sustain a title bid.