City hold off Fulham in nine-goal epic as Haaland seals Premier League ton | OneFootball

A quite remarkable 5-4 win at Fulham saw City move to within two points of leaders Arsenal on an unforgettable night that also saw Erling Haaland join the Premier League 100 club and Phil Foden bag another brilliant brace.

Haaland’s brilliant 16th minute opener at Craven Cottage saw the Norwegian - who also twice struck the post - become the quickest player in Premier League history to achieve the feat, the 25-year-old reaching the three-figure mark in just 111 games.

With Pep Guardiola’s side in sumptuous first half form, Tijjani Reijnders (37) and Phil Foden (44) extended City’s lead before Emile Smith Rowe’s first half injury time header narrowed the deficit.

However, Foden struck again soon after the restart to claim a second successive brace with Jeremy Doku then making it five on 54 minutes.

At 5-1 up, that should have been that. Instead Fulham roared back, staging a grandstand finish in what served as one of the most remarkable Premier League games in years.

In what was a veritable goal frenzy, Alex Iwobi struck again for Fulham on 57 minutes before substitute Samuel Chuckwueze struck twice on 72 and 78 minutes to set up a frantic and nervy finale.

However, City held on, Josko Gvardiol clearing off the line on 96 minutes, with victory seeing Pep Guardiola’s men narrow the gap on Arsenal to two points though the Gunners do have a game in hand.

The game in SUMMARY

City as they did at the weekend against Leeds made an explosive start and only the width of the post denied Haaland a sixth minute opener after the striker had latched onto a sumptuous Phi Foden assist.

TON UP ERLING: The City striker celebrates after bringing up his City Premier League century.

Foden’s pinpoint ball split the Fulham defence apart to put Haaland in the clear but his shot from 15 yards struck the foot of the left post and then cannoned across the goal line to safety for the relieved hosts.

However, with City in superb early form the big man was not to be denied – and he struck in quite stunning fashion on 16 minutes to smash home a deserved opening goal – and so bring up his century of Premier League goals for City.

Doku was the architect, drilling in an inviting cross from the left wing.

Tijjani Reijnders deftly dummied the cross to let it find Haaland and the big man unleashed a first-time crackerjack of a left footed shot from 15 yards out to join the Premier League 100 club, the striker achieving the feat in record time.

It wasn’t all one-way traffic however and City were then indebted to Gianluigi Donnarumma on 24 minutes when the Italian keeper made a stunning save to get down low and deny Emile Smith Rowe’s effort from 12 yards.

DOUBLE DELIGHT: The celebrations begin after Tijjani Reijnders' brilliant goal.

But with City purring, Haaland then demonstrated his all-round quality, turning provider eight minutes from the break as Reijnders deservedly doubled the Blues’ advantage.

Haaland’s deft pass put Reijnders in the clear and the Dutch midfielder executed a deft dink to beat advancing Fulham ‘keeper Bernd Leno for his first strike since the opening day of the season at Wolves.

A quite wonderful first half display was then further amplified on 43 minutes with Phil Foden extending his own magnificent form by despatching a stunning 22-yard effort to further extend the lead.

Fulham though did claim a foothold back in the game as Smith Rowe headed home with a fine header from Harry Wilson’s cross in first half injury time.

GET IN: The smile says it all after Phil Foden's magnificent third goal.

City though wasted no time after the restart as we extended our three-goal lead with Foden grabbing a brace for the second successive game.

Haaland was again the instigator, Jeremy Doku’s cross clipping the striker’s heel and finding the onrushing Foden who fired home from a tight angle on the right edge of the box.

Doku then got in on the scoring act on 54 minutes, the Belgian’s effort finding the target off Sander Berge’s knee.

Alex Iwobi struck again on 57 minutes for Fulham to bring the gap back down to three goals.

And Haaland was then denied by the post once again on 70 minutes, his thumping header clanging back off the woodwork from Savinho’s inviting cross.

But out of nowhere Fulham suddenly changed the entire mood of the game as substitute Samuel Chukwueze struck twice on 72 and 78 minutes to incredibly make it 5-4.

It set up a rip-roaring finale.

With eight added minutes the tension was unbearable and Josko Gvardiol cleared off the line from Josh King as, thankfully, City held firm to seal a win no-one will ever forget.

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

Subs: Trafford, Marmoush, Ait-Nouri, Khusanov, Lewis

Attendance: 26,700

PHIL YER BOOTS: Phil Foden starts the celebration after his second and City's fourth.

Star player

Who else but Erling Haaland?

One goal, two assists, and two efforts that cannoned back off the weoodwork.

All this on a night when the Norwegian joined the Premier League 100 club.

It’s a privilege and a pleasure to watch him in action.

Tonderful

Another landmark night for Erling Haaland saw the Norwegian join the illustrious Premier League 100 club.

He has achieved that feat in just 111 games – 13 quicker than previous record holder Alan Shearer.

The Craven Cottage strike also extended Haaland’s remarkable record against Fulham.

FIVE STAR: Jeremy Doku wheels away after netting City's fifth goal.

It made it seven goals in seven Premier League appearances against the Londoners – the most of any player since Fulham returned to the topflight in 2022/23.

Further proof positive, if any were needed, of Haaland’s superhuman feats.

London calling

Tonight’s victory - nerve shredding as it was - also further extended City’s incredible record against Fulham.

It is now 19 successive wins against the Cottagers in all competitions – and 16 Premier League wins on the bounce too against Marco Silva’s men.

The fact that Fulham had only lost once at home all season up until this evening only serves to further amplify the magnitude of City’s achievement.

CENTRE OF ATTENTION: Tijjani Reijnders at the heart of the action.

Pep’s reaction

To follow

Player reaction

To follow

THE BOSS: Pep Guardiola looks on.

What it means

The victory moves City to within two points of leaders Arsenal who are not in action until tomorrow night.

The Blues now have 28 points from 14 games. The Gunners have 30 from 13 matches and they play host to Brentford tomorrow evening.

View full table

What’s next

City are back in Premier Leage action at the Etihad on Saturday afternoon when we play host to Sunderland.Kick-off against the Black Cats is pencilled in for 15.00 (UK).