Who needs Kevin De Bruyne?
Manchester City and just about every other team in the world do, but it is some substitute for Pep Guardiola when he can replace his injured Belgian star with Julian Alvarez. The World Cup winner enjoyed his biggest contribution yet in a City shirt, upstaging a record-equalling Erling Haaland for the first time to ensure the Blues left Craven Cottage with three points.
You could be forgiven for thinking City had already won not just the league but the Treble based on some of the post-Arsenal coverage ahead of this game, an earlier coronation than King Charles. Such silliness not only failed to take in the strength of teams such as Arsenal, United, and Real Madrid but also the lasting strength of the Premier League.
Also read: Man City player ratings as Julian Alvarez scores wonder goal
The competition loves to boast about it being the toughest in the world, and when even a Fulham side without their best striker and without anything to play for can still trouble the supposed champions-elite the marketing department can rest easy. This was no stroll by the Thames for City.
It certainly looked like it would be when the visitors took the lead after just three minutes. The defending was woeful as a long diagonal from Kyle Walker found Jack Grealish, whose cross was tapped back by Riyad Mahrez towards Alvarez just before he was clumsily clattered into by Fulham captain Tim Ream.
Mahrez took the last City penalty but it was Haaland who stepped up here, coolly planting home goal number 50 for the season and his 34th in the league that sees him equal the all-time competition record. He can score goals with his hair up, after all.
Hugh Grant was among the crowd watching his beloved Fulham but it felt right that the cameras focused on another A-Lister as he celebrated his successful penalty. The away end burst into a rendition of We're Not Really Here, and it has truly been surreal all season to watch this phenomenon scoring at such an unprecedented rate.
Fulham's defence scarcely improved and Jack Grealish had a number of opportunities to get on the scoresheet, but the home side surprised in attack in the 15th minute with a well-taken goal from nowhere that caught City napping. Harry Wilson expertly cushioned a header back to Carlos Vinicius as he ran in the box and the Brazilian took a touch on his thigh before smashing past Ederson.
Forget the Treble, City weren't even top of the league at this point and conceding knocked their momentum. The crowd came to life and cheered on every action from their resurgent team and forcing City mistakes; Ruben Dias has been essential to the Blues since February yet he could not escape the anger of teammates when he ignored shouts to leave an aerial ball with no Fulham players near and risked giving possession away.
It was only seconds later that City were ahead again though, and if Fulham's goal came from nowhere so did this. Alvarez looked to have run into trouble 25 yards from goal before finding a yard of space and unleashing an unstoppable effort beyond Bernd Leno and into the top corner.
Despite their lead, the game did not get any easier for City as they were made to work for every ball. Haaland got the ball more as the game stretched in the second half yet every time he failed to score the crowd went up a notch and City struggled at the back only encouraged them further.
Ederson drastically rescued a situation he had conspired to create when he and Dias inexplicably ran into each other chasing a long ball. Vinicius's eyes lit up seeing the goal in front of him without a goalkeeper, only for the City stopper to dive full length and claw the ball away from him.
Minutes later, boos rang out as referee Simon Hooper decided there had not been enough contact from Kyle Walker on Bobby De Cordova-Reid in the box and tempers raged even more when Grealish and Kenny Tete had a scrap. City were hanging on.
Hang on they did though even if they had two players booked in injury time for wasting time, showing the spirit that may well make them champions but absolutely hasn't yet as they enjoy being top of the table for just the 15th day this season. Rodri spoke recently of how training had become more serious in recent weeks as everyone realised what was at stake, and it was game faces from start to finish as the Blues got the job done.
City will hope that De Bruyne is fit as soon as possible given his impact in recent weeks, even if they can rely on Haaland to score without him and have more evidence of the talent offered up by Alvarez. As Sunday showed, that isn't always enough to be comfortable.
It was as awkward a match for City as Wednesday's win over Arsenal had been emphatic, and maybe that is exactly what the team need. It should be enough for anyone proclaiming the league or the Treble to be over to think again, and it is a perfect reminder for the players that even matches that look straightforward can be anything put.
Guardiola's men are top, but may not be by the time they kick off against West Ham if Arsenal can win on Tuesday night. However much City would snap the hand off anyone giving them the drama-free crowning that they have been predicted this week, this is not going to be easy for them.
Everything is a little easier when you can finish like Alvarez can, though.
READ MORE:
