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Manchester City recorded back-to-back wins for the first time in the Premier League this season as they comfortably saw off 17th-placed Fulham at the Etihad Stadium.
First-half goals from Raheem Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne set the tone for Manchester City as the four-time champions moved to the top five of the 2020-21 Premier League table.
Raheem Sterling converted a perfectly-weighted De Bruyne delivery to help Manchester City take the lead. In the 25th minute, Sterling returned the favour and earned a penalty, which De Bruyne dispatched with aplomb to double Manchester City's lead on the night.
Pep Guardiola's side maintained their impressive form from their 5-0 win last time around with a commanding performance in the first half. However, Fulham managed to hold their own in the second half and were indebted to their goalkeeper Alphonse Areola for keeping Manchester City quiet.
On that note, let us take a look at the five major talking points from the game.
#5 Manchester City rediscover their mojo
It took Manchester City just five minutes to break the deadlock through Raheem Sterling, with De Bruyne displaying impressive presence of mind to help create the opportunity.
It was a typical Manchester City performance against Fulham. They dominated possession, pushed high up the opposition half, operated through quick, short and accurate exchanges in the final third. Manchester City had as many as ten attempts on goal before the break itself, with five of them being on target.
A kind run of fixtures - Burnley last weekend and Fulham this week - have helped Manchester City get their season back on track ahead of the Manchester Derby next Saturday.
#4 The 4-2-3-1 formation seems to be working well for Manchester City
In the absence of his regular No. 9 Sergio Aguero, Pep Guardiola employed the 4-2-3-1 formation with decent success.
Given how their last two games have panned out in the Premier League in this formation, Manchester City reaped the dividends against Fulham too.
In this formation, two defensive midfielders and two wide players up front allows for a fluid system in which not only the striker but Sterling and Mahrez also find themselves in the thick of things in the final third. Sterling, unsurprisingly, was involved in both Manchester City goals on the night.
This system also relieves De Bruyne of some of his defensive duties, something that has allowed the Belgian to pick up three assists in his last two games for Manchester City.
Also Read: Top 10 football players with the most fans in the world.
#3 Fulham produce a better display in the second half
Fulham went behind just five minutes after kick-off, with Raheem Sterling providing Manchester City the lead which they never relinquished.
The Cottagers went on the defensive, and that allowed Manchester City to press even higher. This high press kept the ball in Fulham's half for the majority of the first half, and Manchester City's faultless passing in the final third helped them earn a penalty through Sterling, who made the most of Joachim Andersen's challenge.
De Bruyne doubled Manchester City's lead in the 25th minute as the hosts finished the half with a staggering 75% possession.
In the second half, Fulham improved and kept a tight formation, put in the tackles and also tested the Manchester City defence at times. However, Areola made a couple of crucial saves that kept Fulham in the game, but a lack of goals eventually proved to be their undoing.
#2 Manchester City keep their fourth consecutive clean sheet in all competitions
Manchester City's defence has been their Achilles' heel this season, with City conceding 11 goals in ten Premier League games. However, things look to be back in control as Manchester City produced a fourth consecutive clean sheet in all competitions.
The addition of Ruben Dias has led to a significant improvement in Manchester City's performances in the defensive third. Joao Cancelo and Ferland Mendy have also been impressive in their recent outings for City, keeping their tendency to surge forward in check.
With Rodri and Ilkay Gundogan also stepping up to help out in defence, Guardiola would hope that he does not have to contend with new injuries.
#1 Manchester City lack urgency in the second half
After their blistering start to the game, Manchester City eased off against Fulham, as they did not exhibit the same urgency after the break.
As opposed to ten attempts in the first 45 minutes, the hosts recorded only six in the second half. Manchester City were wasteful with their chances too, as only one of these six attempts was on target.
Despite fatigue seemingly setting in, Pep Guardiola did not make a single substitution in the game. However, the visitors deserve credit for keeping a strong Manchester City quiet on the night.
