Manchester City v Fulham Live Commentary & Result, 05/12/2020, Premier League

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	PTS	Form
1	MCI Manchester City	38	27	5	6	83	32	+51	86	W L W L W
2	MUN Manchester United	38	21	11	6	73	44	+29	74	W D L L W
3	LIV Liverpool	38	20	9	9	68	42	+26	69	W W W W W
4	CHE Chelsea	38	19	10	9	58	36	+22	67	L W L W W
5	LEI Leicester City	38	20	6	12	68	50	+18	66	L L W L D
6	WHU West Ham United	38	19	8	11	62	47	+15	65	W W D L W
7	TOT Tottenham Hotspur	38	18	8	12	68	45	+23	62	W L W L W
8	ARS Arsenal	38	18	7	13	55	39	+16	61	W W W W W
9	LEE Leeds United	38	18	5	15	62	54	+8	59	W W W W L
10	EVE Everton	38	17	8	13	47	48	-1	59	L W L D W
11	AVL Aston Villa	38	16	7	15	55	46	+9	55	W W L D L
12	NEW Newcastle United	38	12	9	17	46	62	-16	45	W W L W L
13	WOL Wolverhampton Wanderers	38	12	9	17	36	52	-16	45	L L L W D
14	CRY Crystal Palace	38	12	8	18	41	66	-25	44	L L W L W
15	SOU Southampton	38	12	7	19	47	68	-21	43	L L W W L
16	BHA Brighton & Hove Albion	38	9	14	15	40	46	-6	41	L W D L W
17	BRN Burnley	38	10	9	19	33	55	-22	39	L L L W L
18	FUL Fulham	38	5	13	20	27	53	-26	28	L D L L L
19	WBA West Bromwich Albion	38	5	11	22	35	76	-41	26	L L L L D
20	SHU Sheffield United	38	7	2	29	20	63	-43	23	W L W L L

Thanks for joining our commentary this afternoon. Until next time, goodbye.

City are next in action against Marseille in the Champions League at home on Wednesday. Fulham take on Liverpool in the Premier League next Sunday at Craven Cottage.

Manchester City secure back-to-back wins in the Premier League for the first time this season courtesy of a comfortable 2-0 win over Fulham this afternoon. Raheem Sterling put Pep Guardiola's men ahead before winning a penalty to allow Kevin De Bruyne to score their second. De Bruyne hit the bar and had an effort well saved by Alphonse Areola in the second half, but the two-goal margin was more than enough for City to claim the three points.

90' + 2' FULL-TIME: MANCHESTER CITY 2-0 FULHAM

90' + 2' Robinson has a chance to whip a cross into the box from the left flank, but he sends his delivery over the top. That sums up Fulham's attacking play this afternoon.

90' There will be two minutes of added time.

89' Robinson and Cairney attempt to combine down the left-inside channel, but Stones produces a solid interception to clear the danger.

87' City seem quite content to sit on their lead and see out their victory. They've been in control despite a slight improvement from Fulham of late.

85' Lookman wins a free-kick for the visitors down the left. However, Cairney's cross is cleared by the home side as Adarabioyo fails to flick an effort goalwards.

T. Cairney

R. Loftus-Cheek

83' Loftus-Cheek is withdrawn by the visitors and is replaced by Cairney.

81' Fulham have come back into the contest a little bit of late. A goal could make the last nine minutes interesting.

80' WIDE! Lemina wins the ball down the right flank and he leads the charge upfield. He works the ball across to Cavaleiro into space, but he drills his effort wide of the target.

78' Mahrez takes a good first touch in the final third and tries to thread the needle to Jesus in the box. However, Fulham have number backs to block the pass.

77' City win a corner on the left flank and De Bruyne whips a dangerous cross into the box. Dias scoops a strike towards goal on his left foot, but it travels over the bar.

76' SAVE! Ederson makes his first stop of the game as Anguissa feeds Cavaleiro. The forward turns and strikes a left-footed effort towards the top-right corner that the City keeper parries and then gathers at the second attempt.

75' WIDE! Fulham build an attack down the left flank before Aina lines up a strike from distance. It's better intent from the visitors, although the effort travels wide of the right post.

73' Mahrez feeds the ball into Jesus in the right-inside channel, but the presence of Adarabioyo does enough to put the forward off his strike.

A. Kamara

B. De Cordova-Reid

71' Kamara is on down the right flank for De Cordova-Reid.

70' OVER! Mahrez whips a corner in from the right flank that is deflected into the path of Dias. He strikes his effort first time, but can only help it over the bar.

M. Lemina

H. Reed

68' Lemina replaces Reed in the middle of the park for the visitors.

66' Adarabioyo collides with De Bruyne and needs treatment before the game can resume.

65' OVER! Mahrez works the ball to De Bruyne in space in the box from the corner, but the Belgian lifts his first-time strike over the bar.

65' Cancelo fires another dangerous low ball towards the near post. Adarabioyo is alert and steers the cross behind for a corner.

64' Fulham have offered very little in the final third. Parker may be tempted to turn to his bench soon.

62' Cancelo drives forward down the right flank, but his offload towards De Bruyne travels straight out of play for a goal-kick.

59' City are controlling the game at their leisure here. If they had been a tad more clinical the result could be in the bag by now. There's still some work for them to do this afternoon.

57' SAVE! Areola denies De Bruyne. City break on the counter after clearing the Fulham corner. Mahrez guides the ball into the path of De Bruyne. The Belgian surges into the left-inside channel, only to smash his effort into the onrushing Areola.

57' Cavaleiro battles again down the left flank chasing a ball over the top and wins a corner off the legs of Cancelo.

55' Anguissa knocks a long ball over the top, but it bounces away from Cavaleiro and into the hands of Ederson.

53' Sterling surges down the left flank and he tries to beat Andersen, but the Fulham skipper fends off the England man and earns his team a goal-kick.

52' Cancelo has two attempts to send a cross into the box from the right-inside channel. However, the Fulham defence holds firm under pressure.

50' OFF THE BAR AND OVER! De Bruyne comes inches away from his second of the game. He leads a counter before releasing Jesus in the left inside channel. The Brazilian twists and turns before offloading back to the Belgian in space. He rifles a left-footed strike towards goal which rattles the bar. De Bruyne latches on to the rebound on the volley, but steers his second attempt over the bar.

48' Cancelo feeds Mahrez down the right flank and he cuts a low cross into the box. Andersen reacts in the middle to steer it away from Jesus.

46' We're back underway at the Etihad Stadium.

It has been a classic performance for City under Guardiola. They've controlled the game from the off and could be further ahead. Fulham have been void of ideas after conceding early on and will need to force the issue in the second half to attempt a comeback.

Manchester City lead Fulham 2-0 at the break in their Premier League clash at the Etihad Stadium. After missing an early opportunity, Raheem Sterling put the home side ahead with a clinical finish. Sterling was then brought down in the box by Joachim Andersen, earning a penalty. Kevin De Bruyne dispatched his effort from 12 yards to put Pep Guardiola's men in complete control of the contest.

45' + 1' HALF-TIME: MANCHESTER CITY 2-0 FULHAM

45' + 1' Sterling has space on the left flank again, but on this occasion his cross is deflected into the hands of Areola.

45' There will be one minute of added time.

43' City break down the left as De Bruyne releases Sterling. The forward looks for the Belgian for a return pass, only to see his offload intercepted by Anguissa.

42' Lookman has space in the final third, but he looks for an offload rather than a cross and sends the ball behind for a goal-kick.

41' Cancelo raids into another threatening position down the right, but Adarabioyo is there to clear the danger at the near post.

39' Andersen is alert at the back for the visitors to get across and intercept Jesus' pass to Mahrez in the box.

37' Sterling tries to release Jesus in the final third with a clip around the corner, but the ball speeds off the surface and out for a goal-kick.

34' City look dangerous every time they push forward in the final third. Fulham will hope to reach the interval only two goals down.

32' SAVE! Mahrez and Sterling combine in the final third, but the latter sees his strike saved by Areola. Mahrez clips the ball over the top for the forward to strike on the volley, only to see his effort turned over the bar by the Fulham keeper.

31' Anguissa heads over the bar from Reed's corner, allowing City to clear their lines and Stones to breathe again following his mistake.

30' CLOSE! Stones almost scores an own goal with a loose backpass. He does not look as he offloads the ball towards his own net. Ederson is off his line and has to scamper back. Fortunately for the home side, it travels wide of the post.

28' De Bruyne has scored four of his six penalties in the Premier League, including two of three this season.

K. De Bruyne

Penalty Goal

26' GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!! DE BRUYNE CONVERTS!!! 2-0!!!! The Belgian steps up from 12 yards and holds his composure. He sends Areola the wrong way, burying his strike into the right side of the net. City have complete control of this game.

25' PENALTY TO MANCHESTER CITY! Andersen brings down Sterling as the forward checks back to shoot in the box. The referee does not hesitate in pointing to the spot.

24' Rodri intercepts the ball in the Fulham half and launches an ambitious right-footed strike towards the target. However, his effort travels well over the bar.

23' City win a free-kick down the left flank and De Bruyne sends Mendy into space. He fires his delivery into the box, but Anguissa is well placed at the near post to clear the danger.

21' Mahrez has a surge down the left flank, but Adarabioyo gets across to divert the ball behind for a corner.

19' Cancelo collects on the right flank once more and directs a cross towards the back post. Areola commits himself and tips it away from Sterling lurking in the left-inside channel.

17' City are in their element here. They're knocking the ball around with ease and are encamped in the Fulham half.

16' OVER! Cancelo is played into space on the right flank by De Bruyne. He cuts the ball back for Gundogan to fire at goal, but the German lifts his effort over the bar.

13' SAVE! Mahrez sends a pass inside for De Bruyne to shoot at goal. The Belgian's effort is deflected by Reed, forcing Areola to change direction, and the keeper does enough to turn it past the right post.

12' Andersen has to be alert at the near post to deflect Cancelo's cross behind for a corner after another defence-splitting pass from De Bruyne.

11' OVER! Cancelo raids forward down the right flank and cuts back to shoot on his left foot. The Portuguese sends his effort comfortably over Areola's bar.

10' Sterling has scored in six of his last nine PL games at the Etihad Stadium (six goals).

8' WIDE! Adarabioyo connects with the resulting corner from Reed, but he can only direct his effort wide of the right post.

7' BLOCK! Anguissa threads a pass through to Lookman in the right-inside channel. He goes for a strike at goal, but Dias holds firm to divert the ball over the bar for a Fulham corner.

K. De Bruyne

Assist

5' De Bruyne cuts open the Fulham backline with an incisive pass into the right inside channel for Sterling to collect and score.

R. Sterling

Goal

5' GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!! STERLING SCORES!!! 1-0!!! Sterling makes no mistake second time around. De Bruyne opens up the Fulham defence with a precise throughball into the path of the England international. Sterling sends a low strike past Areola into the bottom-right corner. Clinical play from the home side to take the lead.

3' SAVE! Mahrez threads the ball through to Sterling, who goes for goal with the outside of his right boot in the left inside channel. Areola spreads himself and produces a fine save to deny the forward.

2' Cavaleiro has a dart down the left flank, but he carries the ball out under pressure from Stones.

1' We're underway at the Etihad Stadium.

Manchester City have won each of their last nine meetings with Fulham in all competitions, netting 27 goals while conceding just three in this run.

Fulham are unchanged from their side that beat Leicester last time out. Parker retains Cavaleiro in the final third, with Loftus-Cheek, De Cordova-Reid and Lookman in support. Adarabioyo starts in the heart of the Cottagers' defence against his former club.

Guardiola has made six changes to his side that drew during the week against Porto. Stones and Mendy get the nod to start in the back four, replacing Garcia and Oleksandr Zinchenko. Fernandinho drops to the bench as Gundogan partners Rodri in front of the backline. Mahrez, Jesus and De Bruyne return to the starting line-up in the final third.

FULHAM SUBS: Aleksandar Mitrovic, Tom Cairney, Marek Rodak, Tim Ream, Mario Lemina, Joe Bryan, Aboubakar Kamara.

FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Alphonse Areola; Ola Aina, Joachim Andersen, Tosin Adarabioyo, Antonee Robinson; Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Harrison Reed; Bobby De Cordova-Reid, Ruben Lofus-Cheek, Ademola Lookman; Ivan Cavaleiro.

MANCHESTER CITY SUBS: Zack Steffen, Aymeric Laporte, Bernardo Silva, Ferran Torres, Fernandinho, Phil Foden, Eric Garcia.

MANCHESTER CITY (4-2-3-1): Ederson; Joao Cancelo, John Stones, Ruben Dias, Benjamin Mendy; Rodri, Ilkay Gundogan; Riyad Mahrez, Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling; Gabriel Jesus.

Fulham produced the display of the week last time out in the Premier League, stunning Leicester City 2-1 on the road. Ademola Lookman and Ivan Cavaleiro found the net on the road to hand Scott Parker's men the three points to lift them out of the relegation zone. The Cottagers are starting to play decent football, but only a flawless performance will be enough to halt the power of City today.

Manchester City have been hit and miss in the Premier League this season. In their last league outing, Pep Guardiola's men were outstanding, putting Burnley to the sword with a five-goal performance. However, they were off the boil during the week in the Champions League being held to a goalless draw by Porto. City are yet to find their stride, but have an excellent opportunity to close ground on their title rivals this afternoon.

Good afternoon and welcome to the live commentary of the Premier League clash between Manchester City and Fulham at the Etihad Stadium.

Manchester City v Fulham Live Commentary, 05/12/2020

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