Premier League: Raheem Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne on target as Manchester City cruise past Fulham
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ByEurosport
Updated 05/12/2020 at 17:16 GMT
Premier League, Etihad Stadium - Manchester City 2 (Sterling 5', De Bruyne 26' pen.) Fulham 0
Manchester City's English midfielder Raheem Sterling (L) celebrates with Manchester City's Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne after scoring his team's first goal during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Fulham
Image credit: Getty Images
Raheem Sterling ended his goal drought as Manchester City moved into the top four in the Premier League with a comfortable victory over Fulham.
The 25-year-old had gone seven games without finding the net but kept his place in the line-up following City's goalless draw with Porto in midweek and he rewarded his manager with the opening goal in the fifth minute, finishing confidently from Kevin De Bruyne's beautifully weighted pass.
Sterling then repaid the favour for the Belgian as he was felled by Fulham skipper Joachin Andersen to win a penalty, with De Bruyne confidently stroking the spot-kick home for his second goal of the season, as City had the game all but sewn up in the 26th-minute.
Pep Guardiola's side continued to dominate possession, but with a hectic festive schedule in mind the hosts didn't play with the intensity required to record the kind of emphatic win they had the potential to.
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City's best chances of the second half fell to De Bruyne, who was denied by the crossbar and then Alphonse Areola when through one-on-one with the Fulham goalkeeper.
The victory sees City leapfrog a number of teams to move into fourth, level on points with fifth-placed Leicester City, while Fulham remain 17th, a point above the drop zone.
Marseille in the Champions League on Wednesday is next up for City, but with progression in the competition already assured Pep can afford to rest players ahead of the Manchester Derby on Saturday.
TALKING POINT - City slowly getting back on track
City have flattered to deceive so far this season and started the day in 11th position, struggling for consistency having failed to win in four of their first nine games. And yet Guardiola's men have moved to within three points of leaders Tottenham with this triumph.
It seems the Citizens are slowly getting back on the right track. Remarkably, for the first time this season they have recorded back-to-back victories, and it was never in doubt as they were in control from the first whistle on what was Guardiola's 700th game in management.
Another supreme performance from Riyad Mahrez will please the City boss, who once again left Aymeric Laporte on the bench. But it was Sterling who will deservedly take the headlines for his display, who, playing through the middle, was back to his brilliant best, scoring the opener and winning his 20th penalty in the Premier League - more than any other player in the history of the competition.
MAN OF THE MATCH - Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
Sterling was at the centre of everything positive in what was a fluid performance from City's front three.
PLAYER RATINGS
Man City: Ederson 6, Cancelo 8, Dias 7, Stones 7, Mendy 7, Gundogan 6, Rodrigo 6, Mahrez 8, De Bruyne 8, Sterling 9, Jesus 6.
Fulham: Areola 7, Aina 5, Andersen 5, Adarabioyo 6, Robinson 5, Decordova-Reid 5, Reed 5, Anguissa 6, Lookman 5, Loftus-Cheek 5, Cavaleiro 5.. subs: Cairney N/A, Lemina 5, Kamara 5.
KEY MOMENTS
5' - GOAL! Man City 1-0 Fulham (Raheem Sterling): There is no mistake this time! It's another assist for De Bruyne, who unlocks the Fulham defence with a beautifully-weighted pass into the path of Sterling. He races through and tucks it past Areola for his sixth goal of the season.
25' - Penalty to Man City! Andersen catches Sterling on the knee with his left foot and the referee points to the spot. Let's face it, there is no clear and obvious error here and the referee's decision is going to stand.
26' - GOAL! Man City 2-0 Fulham (Kevin De Bruyne, pen): No problem for De Bruyne, who sends the goalkeeper the wrong way as he strokes the penalty to the right corner. Two-nil. Game over already? It's a long way back from here.
KEY STATS
- Manchester City are now unbeaten in their last 16 meetings with Fulham in all competitions (W13 D3), winning the last 10 in a row by an aggregate score of 29-3.
- Kevin De Bruyne has made 14 assists in the Premier League in 2020; the most of any player in the competition, and more than twice as many as any other Manchester City player.
- Raheem Sterling has won more penalties than any other player in Premier League history with 20.
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