Manchester City vs. Fulham: Prediction, Preview & Betting Tips

Although we think it'll be competitive, it's hard to see anything but a home win here. Penalty shootouts excluded, City haven't lost a game at the Etihad in all competitions since November 2022. Moreover, City have won a whopping 16 consecutive head-to-head games with Fulham.

Over 2.5 goals has been a common theme of recent head-to-head meetings, with at least three goals having been scored in all of the last six head-to-head encounters between the two sides.

Similarly, both teams to score has occurred in four of the last five encounters between the two. Manchester City 2-1 Fulham.

Manchester City will resume their Premier League title this weekend as they take on Fulham.

• Date: 05/10/2024
• Kick-off time: 15:00
• Location: Etihad Stadium, Manchester

Manchester City, the reigning champions, are looking to keep pace at the top of the table with in-form Liverpool and Arsenal sides as they sit second with 14 points from six matches, having won four and drawn two. Despite a solid start, there are emerging questions about how they will adapt following a significant blow to their midfield. Rodri, the lynchpin of City's engine room, has sustained a serious knee injury that will keep him sidelined for the rest of the season. Rodri’s absence will be felt keenly, as the Spanish midfielder has been central to Pep Guardiola’s tactical setup and is essentially the heartbeat of the team. There is no like-for-like replacement for Rodri in the squad, and City will now need to improvise to fill this crucial gap.

In Rodri's absence, City will likely turn to players like Mateo Kovačić and İlkay Gündoğan, both of whom offer different qualities but lack the overall influence that Rodri commands in the middle of the park. Kovačić, signed in the summer from Chelsea, is a more dynamic, forward-thinking midfielder, while Gündoğan is a technically complete midfielder but lacks the physical qualities of Rodri and doesn't bring the same level of defensive security. Both players will need to step up to help City navigate this tricky period.

Despite being a completely different type of player, Phil Foden is another player who could be called upon to take on a more central role in City’s midfield. Foden has not yet fully hit his stride following a later-than-expected return after the European Championships this summer, but in City's most recent game there were signs that he's approaching his best form. As last season’s PFA Players' Player of the Year, much will be expected of Foden in the coming weeks. With Rodri out, the creative burden on Foden could increase, and he will need to deliver on the promise he has consistently shown in recent seasons.

City’s attacking unit remains potent despite the midfield concerns. Erling Haaland has started the season in typically prolific form, while the likes of Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva provide ample creativity in the final third. Defensively, City have been solid, with a well-organised backline led by Rúben Dias, Manuel Akanji and Joško Gvardiol, alongside the reliable Ederson in goal. However, the transition between defence and attack could be disrupted by Rodri's absence, and how City handle this will be critical in maintaining their title challenge, as even with Rodri in the team they've looked vulnerable to opposition transitions at times.

Fulham, on the other hand, find themselves in a promising position in the Premier League, sitting 6th with 11 points from six games. Marco Silva’s side have had an excellent start to the campaign and will be quietly optimistic about their chances of securing a European place this season. The Cottagers have been building momentum, and after a relatively quiet 2023 summer transfer window, they ramped up their efforts in the most recent window, bringing in players that have already started to make a significant impact.

One of the standout performers for Fulham this season has been Emile Smith-Rowe, who joined from Arsenal in the summer. The 24-year-old midfielder arrived at Craven Cottage with high expectations after years of being considered one of English football’s brightest prospects. At Arsenal, injuries and inconsistency prevented him from truly cementing a starting role, but his move to Fulham appears to have revitalised his career. Smith-Rowe has impressed with his composure on the ball, his ability to carry the ball forward with pace and power, and his knack for scoring important goals. Fulham’s system under Silva is allowing him to flourish, and his presence in midfield has been one of the key drivers behind Fulham’s upturn in form this season.

Fulham’s attack has also benefitted from the creative play of Smith-Rowe, as well as the contributions of new signing Joachim Andersen and striker Raúl Jiménez, who has three goals so far this season. The departure of Aleksandar Mitrović's last summer was a blow to the club, but they have found ways to adapt, with Silva still managing to improve the team.

This game will not be televised live in the UK, but partial radio coverage will be provided by BBC Radio Manchester.

Manchester City Team News:

City come into this game unable to call on Nathan Aké, Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne and Oscar Bobb, all of whom are out with injuries of varying severity.

Phil Foden could keep his place in the starting lineup after a good performance at the weekend.

Predicted lineup: Ederson; Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol; Gündoğan, Kovačić; Bernardo, Foden, Doku; Haaland.

Fulham Team News:

Fulham are coming into this game with a pretty clean bill of health, with forward Carlos Vinícius the only likely absentee.

The Cottagers aren't likely to make any changes to their starting lineup here after a good performance last weekend.

Predicted lineup: Leno; Tete, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson; Lukić, Pereira; Traoré, Smith-Rowe, Iwobi; Jiménez.

Pep Guardiola's men are entering this game in solid form, with their most recent game a convincing 4-0 win away at Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League. Goals from İlkay Gündoğan, Phil Foden, Erling Haaland and James McAtee sealed a comfortable win, with Rico Lewis and Phil Foden in particular delivering impressive performances.

Last weekend, City drew 1-1 away at Newcastle in the Premier League. Despite Joško Gvardiol's opening goal, Newcastle worked their way back into the game and equalised in the second half to secure a deserved point.

Prior to that, City beat Watford 2-1, drew 2-2 with Arsenal and drew 0-0 with Inter Milan.

Fulham are coming into this game having won two, drawn two and lost one of their last five games in all competitions. The Cottagers' latest outing was an impressive 1-0 win away at Nottingham Forest, where striker Raúl Jiménez securing the points with a second half penalty.

That result followed a huge 3-1 win over Newcastle United, where Jiménez, Emile Smith-Rowe and Reiss Nelson all delivered a fine win for Marco Silva.

Before that, Fuham were beaten by Preston North End on penalties in the EFL Cup following a 1-1 draw, a result that followed in two consecutive 1-1 draws with West Ham United and Ipswich Town.

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