Manchester City’s Croatian midfielder #08 Mateo Kovacic (L) passes the ball under pressure from Fulham’s Brazilian midfielder #18 Andreas Pereira (R) during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Fulham at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on October 5, 2024. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)
Mateo Kovacic scored twice as Manchester City clinched a dramatic 3-2 win against Fulham on Saturday.
Pep Guardiola’s side suffered a first half shock when Andreas Pereira put Fulham ahead at the Etihad Stadium.
But Kovacic, filling in for the injured Rodri, struck either side of half-time to settle City’s nerves.
The Croatian midfielder’s brace was followed by Jeremy Doku’s blistering strike before Rodrigo Muniz netted Fulham’s second to set up a tense finish.
City remain unbeaten in their first 10 games in all competitions this season, with five wins from seven league matches putting them firmly in contention for a fifth successive title.
They sit in second place, one point behind leaders Liverpool after ending a two-match winless run in the top-flight.
Questions have been asked over how City will cope without the influential Rodri after the Spain international was ruled out for the rest of the season with a serious knee injury.
But while Guardiola may have been concerned at how Fulham were able to take control for spells, in Kovacic they have an able deputy.
City started strongly with Ilkay Gundogan driving just wide and Erling Haaland shooting across the face of goal.
Haaland also had a free-kick blocked and then headed at Bernardo Leno before City were caught napping on Fulham’s first attack as Adama Traore broke away from Rico Lewis.
The Spaniard should have punished City but was denied by the feet of Ederson.
City switched off again in 26th minute and this time were made to pay.
They failed to deal with a deep cross from Antonee Robinson and the ball was worked inside to Raul Jimenez, whose clever backheel flick dropped perfectly for Pereira to volley home.
Fulham should have increased their lead moments later as Alex Iwobi teed up Traore but again the former Wolves man erred, scooping over the bar as Ederson closed in.
The Cottagers were to rue their misses as City began their fightback when Kovacic levelled just after the half-hour mark.
Kovacic drove in from the edge of the box, via a deflection off Joachim Anderson, after a corner fell to him invitingly.
The former Chelsea star put City ahead with an assured finish two minutes after the break.
Silva created the chance with a nice lay-off and Kovacic did the rest, beating Sander Berge with a nice touch and curling in a shot from 18 yards.
Doku bagged the vital third goal in the 82nd minute as he cut inside from the left and rattled a shot into the top corner.
Fulham made City work until the end as Muniz turned to score with a deflected shot two minutes from full-time.
