Pep Guardiola has called it a disservice to the teams Manchester City are due to face to call the Premier League title race over.
Fulham’s European hopes are dwindling but the Cottagers have had a terrific season back in the top flight. They sit 10th and are a potential banana skin on home soil. However, bouncing off the back of Wednesday’s win over Arsenal, City will be confident of the three points.
They beat Marco Silva’s side 2-1 back in November having played 74 minutes with ten men after Joao Cancelo’s dismissal. The slither of hope for Fulham comes in the fact that the Blues have not kept a clean sheet in their last four Premier League games, their most recent coming away at Crystal Palace on March 11.
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However, City have won each of their last seven matches and are unbeaten in nine. Their opponents, meanwhile, come into the encounter having lost to Aston Villa last time out.
Erling Haaland will be hoping to hit the 50-goal mark at Craven Cottage, currently one away. With West Ham - who lost to Palace on Saturday - and struggling Leeds up next before the coveted Champions League semi-final with Real Madrid, the Norway striker will surely start at Fulham.
In fact, Guardiola may decide to field his most favoured side for his toughest test until the meeting with Madrid. That sees the imperious Jack Grealish start on the left with club captain Ilkay Gundogan partnering Kevin De Bruyne in midfield and Bernardo Silva on the right.
John Stones has been in the best form of his life in his new-found midfield pivot role. He will partner Rodri in the position to protect the defence.
Nathan Ake is close to a return to team training, although will not be fit for the clash with Fulham. Kyle Walker came in against the pacy attack of Arsenal but it is likely that Aymeric Laporte will be given the nod given the manager’s tentativeness about Walker in a back-three ahead of Ederson.
FA Cup semi-final hero Riyad Mahrez will undoubtedly feature at some point with Phil Foden sure to get a run out.
Predicted XI: Ederson; Akanji, Dias, Laporte; Stones, Rodri; Bernardo, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Grealish; Haaland.
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