Manchester City vs Fulham LIVE!
The champions welcome Fulham to the Etihad Stadium looking to get back to winning ways after dropping four points across their previous two Premier League games. A last-gasp equaliser against Arsenal avoided a costly loss in the title race, but Anthony Gordon’s penalty to earn Newcastle a point last time out saw Liverpool overtake City and go into top spot in the table.
Pep Guardiola’s injury woes are not easing, with Kevin De Bruyne still sidelined with a pelvis problem and Nathan Ake nursing a thigh issue while Rodri and Oscar Bobb are long-term absentees. For Fulham, who sit pretty in sixth, there are no fresh fitness concerns, with Jorge Cuenca and Carlos Vinicius absent.
City have a fearsome record against Fulham, winning their last 16 on the bounce across all competitions and last dropped points to the Londoners all the way back in 2011. Follow the game from the Etihad Stadium LIVE below with Standard Sport’s dedicated match blog.
Man City vs Fulham latest updates
Kick-off time: 3pm, Eithad Stadium
Man City team: Foden starts
Fulham team: Smith Rowe benched
Standard Sport prediction: City to get back to winning ways
De Bruyne return nearing
14:32
Pep Guardiola hopes to have Manchester City captain Kevin De Bruyne back from injury after the upcoming October international break.
The influential playmaker has not featured at all for City since being forced off with a groin issue at half-time of City’s goalless Champions League opener against Inter Milan at the Etihad Stadium on September 18.
De Bruyne has missed all of the club’s last four games across all competitions and will sit out Belgium’s Nations League games against Italy and France.
“Hopefully after the international break, he will be back,” Guardiola said.
Click here to read the full story!
Smith Rowe on Fulham bench
14:05
Emile Smith Rowe drops to the bench as Marco Silva brings Sander Berge into his midfield for Fulham’s trip to Manchester City.
Smith Rowe not starting is a surprise after impressing with two goals following his £34m move from Arsenal this summer.
But perhaps Silva feels he needs the more defensively-minded Berge against the champions today.
Otherwise it’s the same side that beat Nottingham Forest 1-0 last weekend.
Foden starts for City
13:59 , Jamie Dickenson
Phil Foden will make his first Premier League start of the season against Fulham.
Pep Guardiola makes five changes to the Manchester City side that won 4-0 against Slovan Bratislava in midweek.
Ederson replaces Stefan Ortega in goal while Josko Gvardiol comes in for John Stones.
In midfield Mateo Kovacic, Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish come in with Matheus Nunes, Savinho and Jeremy Doku dropping out.
Erling Haaland starts up front.
Fulham confirmed team
13:52 , Jamie Dickenson
Fulham XI: Leno; Tete, Bassey, Andersen, Robinson; Lukic, Iwobi, Berge, Pereira, Traore; Jimenez.
Subs: Benda, Castagne, Diop, Reed, Cariney, Wilson, Nelson, Smith Rowe, Muniz.
Man City confirmed team
13:48
Man City XI: Ederson; Lewis, Akanji, Dias (c), Gvardiol; Kovacic, Gundogan, Silva, Foden, Grealish; Haaland.
Subs: Ortega, Carson, Walker, Stones, Doku, Savinho, Nunes, McAtee.
Etihad ready
13:42 , Jamie Dickenson
The state is set at the Etihad for a cracking game of Premier League football.
We’ll have the team news shortly…
Pep talk for Gundo
13:32 , Jamie Dickenson
Pep Guardiola admitted Ilkay Gundogan’s performance against Newcastle was “one of the worst” he had ever seen from the midfielder.
Gundogan struggled during Manchester City’s 1-1 draw at St James’ Park, but got his first goal since rejoining the club from Barcelona during the 4-0 win over Slovan Bratislava on Tuesday.
And Guardiola was pleased for the Germany international, who played in a deeper role as he continues to experiment with replacements from Rodri.
“We know he can do it,” Guardiola told TNT Sports. “Strong mentality. The game in Newcastle was not really good, maybe one of the worst I have ever seen with him in the last eight or nine years but this happens. This is why he has to play.
Click here to read the full story!
Man City vs Fulham match odds
12:55
Man City to win: 2/9
Fulham to win: 11/1
Draw: 6/1
Odds via Betfair (subject to change).
Head to head (h2h) history and results
12:51 , Jamie Dickenson
Fulham have not beaten Manchester City in any competition since all the way back in April 2009, when Clint Dempsey scored twice in a 3-1 comeback win at the Etihad.
City have won 19 of the 22 contests since then, including 16 in a row to make clear the sheer scale of the task facing the Cottagers this weekend.
Man City wins: 41
Fulham wins: 17
Draws: 16
Man City vs Fulham prediction
12:50 , Jamie Dickenson
Back-to-back Premier League draws is hardly panic stations from a City perspective, but it’s certainly well below their usual sky-high standards and they won’t want to lose any more ground in the early title battle with both Liverpool and Arsenal currently full of confidence.
Fulham will head to the Etihad boosted by their extremely optimistic start to the season, though you fear they could have to weather a ferocious storm from the outset as the hosts look to build on their Champions League exploits in Slovakia and reassert some domestic dominance.
Silva’s side certainly won’t roll over, but City are an absolute juggernaut on home soil and should have more than enough to get the job done comfortably here.
Man City to win, 3-0.
Fulham team news
12:45 , Jamie Dickenson
Fulham coach Marco Silva reported no new injury concerns in his pre-match press conference on Thursday.
Summer signing Jorge Cuenca will be out until after the international break with an ankle problem, while Carlos Vinicius remains unavailable with a calf injury.
Man City team news
12:41 , Jamie Dickenson
Pep Guardiola has no new injury concerns to contend with after confirming Erling Haaland is fit to face Fulham, having started and scored against Slovan Bratislava on Tuesday night despite taking a knock to his ankle against Newcastle last weekend.
The Manchester City boss hopes that skipper Kevin De Bruyne will be back after the upcoming international break, with the midfielder having asked to be left out of Belgium’s squad for the next two international breaks.
Nathan Ake is still sidelined with a hamstring injury while Oscar Bobb is a long-term absentee due to a leg fracture and Rodri will miss the rest of the season after having knee surgery.
It leaves Guardiola with decisions to make in midfield. Ilkay Gundogan played in a deeper role in the midweek Champions League win and could be given that role again, with Mateo Kovacic alongside him and Phil Foden potentially being handed his first start in the Premier League this season.
Ruben Dias and Manuel Akanji appear to be the preferred centre-back pairing, meaning John Stones could miss out once more, while Rico Lewis will hope to keep his place at right-back over Kyle Walker.
There were starts for Jeremy Doku and Savinho on Tuesday night, but Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva are likely to return to the lineup against Fulham.
Predicted Man City XI: Ederson; Lewis, Dias, Akanji, Gvardiol; Kovacic, Gundogan; Silva, Foden, Grealish; Haaland.
Where to watch Man City vs Fulham
12:37 , Jamie Dickenson
TV channel and live stream: The game will not be televised live in the UK as it lands during the 3pm Saturday TV blackout still observed across English football.
Highlights: The Sky Sports app and YouTube channel will show highlights from 5:15pm, with Match of the Day broadcasting on BBC One at 10:30pm on Saturday night.
Good afternoon!
12:22 , Jamie Dickenson
Hello and welcome to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of Manchester City v Fulham.
City are looking to get back to winning ways in the Premier League after successive draws, while Marco Silva’s Fulham are hoping to continue their good form after back-to-back wins.
This is the last round of games before the international break and we’ll have all the latest updates, build-up and team news ahead of the 3pm BST kick-off at the Etihad.
