Manchester City

Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport journalist

Manchester City attempt to follow up their late win at Liverpool on Sunday when they host a Fulham side aiming to bounce back from a home defeat by Everton.

BBC Sport examines some of the key themes going into their meeting at Etihad Stadium.

Last-gasp, chaotic, potentially crucial – Manchester City's 2-1 win at Anfield on Sunday kept Pep Guardiola's within six points of leaders Arsenal following the latest round of matches and the title race alive - for the time being.

City have 50 points after 25 Premier League games but only six teams have gone on to win the title with 50 points or fewer at this stage of a 38-game season – and the last one was 23 years ago.

On that occasion, Manchester United won 10 and drew three of their remaining 13 games to overhaul leaders Arsenal and finish top on 83 points in 2002-03.

The Gunners were top after 25 games that season with 53 points, but failed to win six of their remaining 13 matches – a drop in form which proved costly.

Arsenal currently have three more points at the same stage of this season but Match of the Day pundit Wayne Rooney believes Erling Haaland's winning goal against Liverpool last weekend – his first at Anfield for City – could spark a run of form to test Mikel Arteta's mettle should their be any slip-ups.

"It was a real high-pressure penalty because it was to keep Manchester City in the title race," he said. "You could see that relief in his face to score the goal so late to win the game. The confidence that will give him now will be scary for Arsenal in the next few weeks."

City's next game is against a Fulham side they have defeated in their past 19 meetings; the longest winning run one side has had against another in English football history.

Marco Silva's men dominated the first half against Everton on Saturday before losing to a late own goal at Craven Cottage.

The Cottagers have won just three of their 12 away trips in the Premier League so far this season, while Silva's record is also rotten in this particular fixture.

He has lost all 13 Premier League meetings with City, the most one manager has faced an opponent with a 100% loss rate in the competition's history.

Any uptick in confidence for Haaland ahead of Wednesday's encounter will also be unwelcome for visiting fans given he's scored seven goals and assisted three in just seven Premier League appearances against Fulham.

Was Sunday's late comeback to win at Anfield the game that will spark Manchester City's title bid?

Time will tell, but I am not convinced. I still think the issues that saw City fall behind in the first place will still cost them in future games too.

Fair play to Pep Guardiola's side for turning things around with six minutes to go, because their record at Anfield was so poor and a point would not have been enough for them.

But I just don't see this City team controlling games anymore in the way they used to. In the past, if you got a result against City you were either fortunate or had to play exceptionally well, but this season I've seen them let teams back into games on numerous occasions.

Sunday was no different. They were getting mauled in the second half by wave after wave of Liverpool attacks, before the chaos at the end. Gianluigi Donnarumma's save was a big moment and I was delighted that Erling Haaland stuck his penalty away because he's captain of my fantasy team and that gave me a good score.

As a neutral, I hope the a title race lasts until the final few weeks of the season but I just feel like City will drop too many more points before then.

Fulham are a good footballing side and almost got something from City at Craven Cottage in December - I was there, and City only just held on for a 5-4 win.

Marco Silva's side have been hard done by in their past couple of games because they had plenty of chances in their defeat at Manchester United, then could have been well ahead at the break before they lost to Everton too.

This time? Well, I think Fulham will score at Etihad Stadium too, and they are due a bit of a break. Maybe they will get it against City, but I am still going for a home win.

Sutton's prediction: 3-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Leeds United are plotting a £30m summer move for Manchester City's 23-year-old goalkeeper James Trafford. (Teamtalk), external

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Shay Given believes Manchester City have the capability to go unbeaten for the rest of the season to mount a significant title challenge.

City trail Arsenal by six points but Sunday's win at Liverpool has prompted discussion over their credentials.

"There are still fragilities we haven't seen in the past perhaps," ex-City keeper Given told BBC Sounds' Monday Night Club.

"But they still have the armoury I think to go on a crazy run now and be unbeaten and all that stuff."

Chris Sutton and journalist Rory Smith said they doubted this City team can go on the kind of unbeaten run that previous Pep Guardiola sides have delivered to close out title races.

But Given insisted on his claim, adding: "It's not that big of a statement to say that.

"The manner in which they won on Sunday, the psychological side. They have gone 'this is ours for the taking'. The belief runs through the whole club and fans where they think, 'do you know what, we still have a great chance'.

"That will give them belief for this run-in.

"The defence was conceding too many goals but I'd like to think they have sewed up a bit. Rodri we don't think is up to full speed yet but it feels like as every week goes by he's getting a bit better, fitter and reading the game better. There are a lot of things coming together for City - Guehi, the calmness he brings at the back."

Watch the full episode on BBC iPlayer and listen on BBC Sounds

Tyrese King
BBC Sport journalist

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been speaking to the media before Wednesday's Premier League game against Fulham at the Etihad (kick-off 19:30 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Guardiola has revealed that defender Abdukodir Khusanov will be "able to play" after being substituted with concussion in the win over Liverpool.

• He spoke more about Khusanov: "I admit he doesn't speak like William Shakespeare but it's getting better and better. He understands what we want. He's so intelligent. People get the impression that because he's so physical, strong and so fast, he cannot think, and that is not the case. He's always making good decisions."

• He added: "Normally when a player has that physicality, he doesn't know how to use his [head] but he has both. I think he can improve, because he's open-minded. Man City have a central defender for many many years."

• Other team news: "I didn't train with them, but John [Stones] is back, Sav [Savinho], I would say yeah. Everybody is OK."

• On facing Fulham: "Every season is better. The movements they do... they are really good. The patterns and the quality they have, the composure of the play, the speed they have."

• On Fulham manager Marco Silva: "Marco is one of the top, top, top managers I face. Destiny to be one of the top in a few years for sure."

• On former City player Oscar Bobb: "Oscar won't have any doubts about his potential. It's about him, and what he wants to achieve. If he wants to be a top-class player, he will be a top-class player."

• When asked about reducing the gap to Arsenal to three points by beating Fulham: "Every time over the past weeks and months when I go before the game for an interview always if you lose you are losing everything and are going to disappear from the planet Earth and stuff. So what I am saying is what do you have to do to beat Fulham?"

• He added: "I understand how nice it is to [talk about] three, four [points gap], this kind of stuff. That is OK but that is not winning titles or in the latter stages to try to be close to win the titles."

Hear more from Guardiola on BBC Sounds

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Manchester City defender Marc Guehi has been speaking to BBC Radio Manchester about Sunday's comeback win over Liverpool at Anfield.

City fought back to beat the Reds 2-1, after Bernardo Silva equalised following Dominik Szoboszlai's free-kick and then striker Erling Haaland dispatched a spot-kick in added time.

"If you can't come here and believe, then what's the whole point of playing in the first place. So credit everyone, credit to the fans for spurring us on," said Guehi.

"It was good resilience shown."

On what he had been thinking when they went behind, he said: "The next action is the only thing we have been talking about this whole week. It's the next moment, the next pass, the next tackle.

"When they score like that, the only thing you can do is think what you can do next, and that's what we did."

Listen to the full episode here

Manchester City can bank on the presence of one of the world's finest goalkeepers in Gianluigi Donnarumma for years to come, says journalist Rory Smith.

The Italian keeper made a stunning save to deny Liverpool a point at Anfield on Sunday and bolster his side's Premier League title pursuit.

Such was the quality of the stop, City boss Pep Guardiola could be seen mimicking his goalkeeper's action on the touchline - which you can see in an image below.

Image source, Getty Images

A debate on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club considered footwork, distribution and more, with some of the team giving Donnarumma the edge over other big-name keepers.

The Observer's Smith said: "In a really high-pressure game, would you want Donnarumma or David Raya? You'd go for Donnarumma. In Europe maybe the only one weirdly overlooked is Thibaut Courtois.

"I think it's probably those two as the best in the world. The sheer size of Donnarumma. Raya is fantastic but I think Donnarumma feels more secure to me."

Image source, Getty Images

Former Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given added: "When he came on the market it was too good of an opportunity to turn down.

"He's 26 years of age and could be there for another 10 years.

"The save at the end, a lot of goalkeepers would have struggled to keep that out.

"The size of the man. The presence that some goalkeepers don't have, he has that. I just think you see the reaction of his team-mates, they didn't think he was saving that.

"Thinking up and down the league, who is better at the minute? David Raya perhaps."

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Manchester City are preparing a £100m summer move for Nottingham Forest's 23-year-old England midfielder Elliot Anderson. (Teamtalk), external

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Freddie Pye
Fan writer

Image source, Reuters

Manchester City's first win at Liverpool in five years, the first win inside Anfield with supporters present in 23 years, and it couldn't have come at a more crucial time for Pep Guardiola and his players.

With performances somewhat faltering, a lack of rhythm in the Premier League at the start of the year, and a significant risk of Arsenal extending their advantage as City continued to suffer in the second half of matches in particular, this was certainly needed.

Liverpool brought a true test of Manchester City's on-the-ball quality, composure in front of goal, resilience when facing pressure in their own defensive third, and a mental strength to overcome adversity and fight to show whether they truly believe they have the quality to complete a top-flight comeback and claim the Premier League title in May.

The travelling Blues passed all those tests with flying colours. It wasn't by any means a perfect performance, but it was a real showcase of everything this side has been critiqued on in recent contests.

Gianluigi Donnarumma once again showed why City perhaps sacrificed their footwork perfection between the posts. Marc Guehi proved exactly what Liverpool had ultimately missed out on. Rodri upped his sharpness and looked much closer to his imperious best than we have seen him yet. Bernardo Silva outlined exactly why he is the ultimate captain in this Sky Blue side, with passion, understanding, experience and leadership all in his armoury,. And Erling Haaland did what Erling Haaland does best - score when he is needed most.

If Mikel Arteta and Arsenal are going to claim this title, they're going to have to do it themselves and perhaps without any support from a Manchester City side who are refusing to back down, and look hungrier than ever to prove everyone wrong.

This wasn't just the claiming of three points for Guardiola and his players, but a mammoth psychological boost and message in the direction of north London.

We will fight until the very end.

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Dale Johnson
Football issues correspondent

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Referee Farai Hallam was correct to turn down a video assistant referee (VAR) review to give a penalty to Manchester City against Wolves, the Premier League's Key Match Incidents (KMI) Panel has ruled.

With City leading 1-0 in the 35th minute, Omar Marmoush appealed for a spot-kick for handball by Wanderers defender Yerson Mosquera.

Hallam was unmoved, only to then be sent to the pitchside monitor by the VAR, Darren England.

Hallam was taking charge of his first Premier League game but decided to stick with his decision. The 32-year-old received widespread praise for a "courageous" call.

However, City boss Pep Guardiola was less than complimentary after the game.

"The referee made a huge debut, now everybody will know him," Guardiola said.

"[Referees' chief] Howard Webb, come tomorrow and explain why it's not a penalty."

The KMI Panel unanimously voted Hallam was correct.

It said Mosquera's arm was "in an expected position given his running action" and that "the ball is kicked towards him from a close distance".

It added: "The panel unanimously supported the referee's call to not award a penalty.

"The VAR intervention to recommend a review was an overreach, as the referee's call of no penalty was not a clear and obvious error."

City went on to win 2-0 at the Etihad.

Shamoon Hafez
Manchester City reporter

Image source, Getty Images

The Premier League title race is "not over until it's over", says Erling Haaland after Manchester City stayed within touching distance of leaders Arsenal.

The Norwegian played a pivotal role in City's incredible comeback against Liverpool on Sunday, providing the assist for Bernardo Silva's equaliser before converting a cool penalty to win the match in injury-time.

Pep Guardiola's side had been staring at a nine-point deficit on the Gunners after Dominik Szobozslai's stunning free-kick, but the visitors turned the game around late on at Anfield.

Asked if the result was bigger than just three points, Haaland replied: "Yes, definitely. It's true. [But] It's three points, it's three points, it's three points, simple as that, no matter who you play, if it is Tottenham or whatever.

"We've seen before that the title race is not over until it's over. So for me right now, I need to recover, eat some good food, and focus on Fulham, because there's still many games."

After making a prolific start to the season, Haaland has struggled in front of goal in recent games with his effort against Liverpool just his third in his past 10 games in all competitions.

He added: "I haven't scored enough goals since the start of this year and I know that I need to improve. I know I need to be more sharp, better at all of this and this is something that I have to work on. I have to keep going because this is what everyone deserves and expects.

"I don't want to speak about why I haven't performed. I don't think there's any excuse. Fatigue is a lot in the head. It's a lot of games.

"Look at the schedule, it's not easy, and for me, it's about staying fit, don't get injured. That's the most important thing and try to be ready to help the team."

We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Liverpool and Manchester City.

Here are some of your comments:

Liverpool fans

Douglas: Liverpool's defence exposed again. The club will go nowhere until this is fixed. The defence showed how slow they are, both physically and mentally. What on earth was Alisson thinking?

Barry: Liverpool just cannot manage a game. After scoring, they dropped deep, inviting City on to them. There was a horrible inevitably about what happened. Then the Dominik Szoboszlai sending off to complete a dismal afternoon. Who will play right-back now on Wednesday? Probably Joe Gomez if he's fit. Calvin Ramsay must be wondering what he has to do to get a game.

Stuart: Let's not have an improvement in the second half cloud our judgement here. Liverpool are in need of a massive overhaul from right at the very top down to the squad. So many areas need urgent attention - the owners, the director of football and the manager and his coaching team, to the players, who are obviously no longer able to perform. This is going to take another two to three years minimum to fix.

Leo: Mohamed Salah has become the weakest link of this Liverpool team. Can't score, can't assist, can't get past defenders, can't defend. And teams are no better than their weakest links.

Man City fans

Brian: City now prove they have the stomach for a fight and the bottle to hang in there and believe. This was a huge win and an injection of confidence into all their fans. An away win at Liverpool is rare, but this was no ordinary win. This was a team playing as a team and with a will to win that will send shivers into the spines of Arsenal players. The blue moon is out there.

Harry: I shamefully admit I had lost all hope after Szoboszlai's absolutely incredible free-kick. Witnessing moments like that sometimes make the loss a bit easier and I never imagined we'd get back into the game. For a large portion we played far too tight, and Antoine Semenyo became restricted with a lack of wide play. We controlled the first half, but the second half was far more open and Liverpool have a right to feel aggrieved to get nothing from this game. Gianluigi Donnarumma was our saviour once again. So, so proud of our lads for showing some fight. Marc Guehi was monumental. CTID.

John: After a clear loss of belief by the City players in the past few league games, and the first half of Sunday's match, Bernardo Silva dragged his team-mates back to make them believe in themselves once again. In the end, it was heroics that got them through.

Tom: A great first half, then a few jitters crept in. Anfield is a difficult place to play. Liverpool generally pass so well, but they made a few mistakes and City's momentum kicked in. This was like the 2023 side - and once Bernardo equalised there was real belief. City can use this to go on a run. With Erling Haaland and the boys, anything is possible.

Former England captain Wayne Rooney says he understood the late VAR call in Manchester City's chaotic win at Liverpool on Sunday.

There was widespread confusion in the stadium and endless debate on social media following the decision to chalk off a Rayan Cherki goal and issue a red card to Liverpool's Dominik Szobozslai.

Former City goalkeeper Joe Hart agreed with Rooney, stating "rules are rules" after the officials applied the letter of the law to the action.

You can watch the analysis above from Match of the Day or a clip from The Wayne Rooney show below.

Watch The Wayne Rooney Show on BBC iPlayer or listen on BBC Sounds

Shamoon Hafez
Manchester City reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Although this contest for Manchester City was against the reigning champions at a ground where they have had little joy, it was a game they could ill-afford to drop points in their hunt to chase down leaders Arsenal.

And until the 84th minute it looked like they were heading back across the M62 with nothing.

But up stepped captain Bernardo Silva and star striker Erling Haaland to inspire an incredible rescue act at Anfield and stay within touching distance of Mikel Arteta's men, who they host in April.

City were on top for large periods of the first half but unable to capitalise on their early dominance, with Haaland having an early effort smothered by Alisson in front of the Kop.

It looked to be a crucial moment when Liverpool took the lead, but the Norwegian played a major part in turning the game around in the breathless finale.

Haaland knocked down Rayan Cherki's cross for Silva to poke home the equaliser from close range - the midfielder's first goal since May, but fourth against the Reds.

Despite missing a penalty against Liverpool in the 3-0 win at Etihad Stadium back in November, Haaland remained calm to roll in the injury-time spot-kick this time for his first goal for City at Anfield and second in eight league games.

City defender Marc Guehi made some timely challenges at the back, but was fortunate to stay on the pitch when receiving only a yellow card for a tug on Mohamed Salah on the edge of the box.

But the former Crystal Palace captain will have enjoyed the victory, having been jeered throughout by home supporters after his move to Liverpool collapsed last summer and he joined Guardiola's men in January.

Tempers boiled over after Cherki's disallowed goal - and Dominik Szoboszlai's red card - deep into injury time, with the two benches exchanging words and a spectator being led away after running on to the pitch.

But City - with centre-back Ruben Dias returning to action - held on for the final few seconds to record a success they desperately needed, not only to end their Anfield hoodoo, but warn Arsenal they are not champions yet.

Manchester Cityare interested in signing Everton's 27-year-old midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall for about £40m. (Fichajes - in Spanish), external

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Pundits Joe Hart and Wayne Rooney join host Mark Chapman to bring you the action and talking points from Sunday's Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Brighton 0-1 Crystal Palace

• Liverpool 1-2 Man City

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "It was a brilliant advert for the Premier League. First half was really good and we lost a bit of momentum in the second half. Anfield can feel like that.

"After that, we played more direct and after that we lost the ball and we were so passive. What a strike from Szoboszlai and after that, led by our captain Bernardo, we come back.

"The spirit has been there and in general the first half was really good and second half a bit of fatigue. Omar and Erling were passive and that's why we struggled."

On Bernardo Silva: "He is one of the best players I have every trained with. He is the perfect captain. It is a joy for me as a manager to have him. The team comes first. His contribution is massive and he is one of the legends of this club."

On the dramatic ending to the match: "Come on referee, give goal and go home!"

Hear more from Guardiola on BBC Sounds

Did you know?

• Manchester City have achieved a league double over Liverpool for the first time since 1936-37, with this just the sixth time ever they have done so against the Reds.

• Timed at 92:42, Erling Haaland's penalty for City was the latest winning goal by a visiting team at Anfield in the Premier League on record (since 2006-07).

• Bernardo Silva has scored three goals at Anfield in the Premier League, with this his most at an away venue in the competition. He is also now Man City's joint-top scorer at Anfield in the competition, along with Nicolas Anelka and Ilkay Gundogan (all 3).

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Liverpool's performance

What did you make of Manchester City's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies