Fulham 0-3 Manchester City: 5 talking points as Skyblues run amok in second-half to secure another win | Premier League 2020-21

Manchester City cruise to another victory as Premier League title edges closer
Manchester City cruise to another victory as Premier League title edges closer

Manchester City beat Fulham 3-0 at Craven Cottage in the Premier League to edge closer to the title.

John Stones, Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero were on target in the second-half as the Skyblues upped the ante following a poor start to the match.

Joao Cancelo's sublime cross in the 47th-minute was converted by Stones from close range before Jesus got into the act.

Aguero then had the chance to score his first goal of the season from the penalty spot after Ferran Torres was fouled inside the area and he did exactly that.

Fulham deserve praise for a solid defensive performance, especially in the first-half, but the defeat keeps them in the danger zone.

Here are the five talking points from the match:


#5 Aguero ends goal-drought but remains unimpressive

Aguero might take some time to get into his groove
Aguero might take some time to get into his groove

It's been a very difficult few months for Sergio Aguero, both physically and psychologically.

The striker suffered a horrific knee injury in June last year which has derailed his career since.

Tonight, he entered the match with arguably the longest drought of his career, so one can only imagine the relief Aguero must've felt upon scoring that penalty.

It was his first Premier League goal since January last year.

However, it does little to mask the Argentine's struggles on the pitch, as he was below-par once again.

The spark which he lights the league up with was desperately missing. Perhaps he needs more time to truly get into shape.

But with the season fast heading to a close, he's running out of time, and more performances like this will only add more fuel to exit rumors.


#4 Fulham's solid defense frustrated City

Fulham's well-drilled unit kept City at bay in the first-half
Fulham's well-drilled unit kept City at bay in the first-half

Fulham will surely feel they deserved something from the game tonight, and deservedly so, for they defended excellently in the first-half and kept their mighty visitors at bay.

Even though City had more of the ball, they couldn't really find a way past the Cottagers, who sat deep and marked their opposite numbers closely.

Sure, the likes of Aguero and Torres came quite close to breaking the deadlock, but Fulham didn't afford them any time or space to dispatch their chances at full pelt.

It seemed as if Scott Parker's whole gameplan was to strangle his visitors and eke out a point, with Fulham rarely threatening at the other end.

His tactics worked - but only in the first-half, as City's quality eventually showed.

#3 Stones continues his fine goal scoring run

Stones was on target for City once again!
Stones was on target for City once again!

What a season it's turning out to be for John Stones!

On the verge of leaving in the summer, only an injury to Aymeric Laporte allowed him to get back into the side, and boy he's taken his chances.

Stones has been rock solid at the back for City and produced another stunning performance to help the side to a clean sheet once more.

However, the narrative in the media lately has been surrounding his uncharacteristic goal-scoring prowess, which he displayed once again tonight with a simple finish.

The England international latched onto Cancelo's sublime cross by getting a foot to it and tapping it home beyond Alphonso Areola.

It was his fourth goal of the season, all of which have come in the last 10 games alone, more than some of the most established attackers in the league.


#2 Tactical adaptability can bear fruits for Fulham

Fulham can successfully stave off relegation if they continue to play like this
Fulham can successfully stave off relegation if they continue to play like this

The scoreline might suggest a comfortable evening for Manchester City, who cruised to another huge win, even though reality couldn't be further away from it.

The Cottagers eventually succumbed to City's pressure, but there were certain aspects of the match they could be pleased with, and probably hope for a better result against a weaker opponent.

Parker's deployment of four central midfielders worked wonders in the first-half.

It showed they anticipated City's threats down the middle and subsequently reduced the space they could operate from.

Fulham also marked their attackers closely, following City's frontline like a shadow and trying to cut off their supply lines.

Against a mid-table side, such a ploy would've definitely yielded dividends, but perhaps they'd also need to amp up their attacking game to well and truly grab the match by the scruff of it.


#1 Manchester City keep rolling as title edges closer

City need just five more wins to seal the title
City need just five more wins to seal the title

Pep Guardiola named a heavily rotated side tonight, possibly keeping the upcoming Champions League clash against Borussia Monchengladbach in mind.

At first, it seemed like a poor decision as the Skyblues lacked the spark to trouble Fulham in the opening stanza.

However, the visitors returned from the break with more purpose, energy, and vigor, which eventually helped get the better of the Cottagers.

The 3-0 victory may have been quite misleading as City were not as dominant as they've been since the turn of the year.

Yet, they got the win they came for and provisionally extended their lead to 17 points at the summit, needing just 14 more to clinch the Premier League title.

It may still be too soon to predict the winner as we're still 10 games away from the conclusion of the season. But it's incomprehensible to see this juggernaut relinquish such a huge lead.

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Edited by Rohit Mishra