Fulham head to Manchester for the second time in six weeks this afternoon hoping to avoid both the late heartbreak on opening night and Old Trafford and the familiar feeling of being beaten by an all-conquering Manchester City. City have recorded an English league record of sixteen straight wins in this fixture and Fulham are on an eighteen match winless streak against this afternoon’s opponents. But the Whites will head to Eastlands in fine fettle after stretching their unbeaten run to five games having triumphed at Nottingham Forest last weekend – even though they will be distant second favourites to keep their impressive sequence going at the Etihad.
Little needs to be said about the quality of the City squad or the immense impact that Pep Guardiola has had on the domestic game since he arrived in England in the summer of 2016. The Spanish tactician has arguably completely revolutionised the way football is played in this country and, while his style does have some critics, you can’t argue with its effectiveness. City bounced back from dropping points in their last two league games by demolishing Slovan Bratislava in Europe in midweek – with the draws against Arsenal and Newcastle United leaving Guardiola’s charges a point behind Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table.
Guardiola revealed during his pre-match press conference yesterday that he will be without Nathan Ake, Oscar Bobb, Rodri and Kevin de Bruyne. City are managing the Belgian midfielder’s thigh injury, which he sustained in September’s scoreless draw with Inter Milan in the Champions’ League. Guardiola’s plans for the season have been significantly disrupted by the loss of the pivotal Rodri, probably the only holding midfielder more effective in the top flight over the last two seasons than Joao Palhinha, but they have been boosted by the fact that the irrepressible Erling Haaland, who enjoys torturing Fulham, has been passed fit to play having come off early in midweek. Experienced England international Kyle Walker could play his 400th Premier League fixture this afternoon.
Marco Silva has eschewed the opportunity to set any targets for his side, who have probably overperformed external expectations in the early weeks of the campaign. Sitting sixth in the table is certainly a surprise after losing Palhinha in the summer, but the test of Silva’s adventurous revamp of his side – that has seen Sasa Lukic fill in as a holding midfielder, whilst fielding Andreas Pereira and summer signing Emile Smith Rowe as dual playmakers, will probably come this afternoon against a side like City whose command of possession and tempo is almost absolute, especially at home. The Fulham boss could tinker, with former Burnley midfielder Sander Berge a more natural fit against dominant opposition, but Silva usually avoids any backward steps – even against the top teams.
Guardiola was at his most animated during what was a largely routine press conference when asked about the importance of City’s winning run against Fulham. He highlighted the Cottagers’ improvement under Silva, spotlighting the ways in previous seasons how the Whites had put his side under pressure and spoke approvingly both of the club’s summer transfer acquisitions, including Joachim Andersen, and the attacking threat posed by the reunited Adama Traore and Raul Jimenez, who have history of tearing City apart for Wolves at the Etihad. It was an engaging and informed analysis, which only serves to underline that one of Europe’s strongest sides will be fully prepared for what Fulham throw at them this afternoon.
One of the most pleasing aspects of Fulham’s progression this term has been how resolute Silva’s side have been in defence. The enduring excellence of Bernd Leno is one of the key reasons, but the acquisition of Andersen offers a certain reassurance in front of the big German goalkeeper. The Danish international was outstanding at the City Ground last Saturday and has struck up an encouraging understanding with Calvin Bassey at the heart of Fulham’s back four. Getting a second clean sheet in succession seems like a tall order, but if the Whites are to take any at all from this toughest of tests they will need to disciplined at the back, strong in the tackle and confident on the ball. For the first time in a while, however, you get the sense that the Whites will be heading in this fixture with a sense of excitement rather than fear.
MY FULHAM XI (4-2-3-1): Leno; Tete, A. Robinson, Andersen, Bassey; Berge, Lukic; Traore, Iwobi, Smith Rowe, Jimenez. Subs: Benda, Castagne, Sessegnon, Reed, Cairney, Pereira, Wilson, Muniz.
