Fulham 4-5 Manchester City: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

Dive into Ladbrokes’ post-match review of Fulham 4-5 Manchester City in the Premier League on Tuesday, 02 December 2025, with stats, key moments and our take on the match.

Manchester City won 5-4 against Fulham in a high-scoring affair at Craven Cottage. The visitors took control early with Erling Haaland opening the scoring in the 17th minute, assisted by Jérémy Doku, before Tijjani Reijnders added a second in the 37th, set up by Haaland. Phil Foden made it three just before the break in the 44th, but Fulham pulled one back through Emile Smith Rowe in stoppage time at 45+2’, assisted by Harry Wilson, keeping them in the contest despite City’s dominance that mirrored their recent wins over Leeds and Liverpool.

The second half exploded into life as Foden netted his second in the 48th, again assisted by Haaland, and an own goal from Sander Berge in the 54th extended City’s lead to 5-1. Fulham fought back admirably with Alex Iwobi scoring in the 57th, followed by a brace from substitute Samuel Chukwueze in the 72nd and 78th minutes, narrowing the gap but ultimately falling short. This defeat extends Fulham’s mixed form, coming off wins against Tottenham and Sunderland but losses to Everton, while City’s victory builds on their strong run with just one recent slip against Newcastle.

Fulham edged possession with 57% compared to Manchester City’s 43%, suggesting they controlled more of the ball and created pressure through seven corners against City’s two, which points to a more attacking home side despite the scoreline. Their 67 successful dribbles far outpaced City’s 44, indicating effective individual flair in breaking lines, though City made the most of their chances with three assists to Fulham’s one, highlighting sharper finishing.

Manchester City picked up the only yellow card of the game, issued to Rayan Cherki in stoppage time at 90+5’, while both sides used most of their substitutions—Fulham making five changes, including Samuel Chukwueze and Timothy Castagne coming on at half-time for Saša Lukić and Kenny Tete respectively, and City deploying four, such as Savinho and John Stones entering at 64’ for Jérémy Doku and Nico González. No penalties or red cards disrupted the flow, and neither team scored in injury time beyond what was already noted in the goals.

The game turned on its head in the second half after Manchester City built a commanding lead, with Phil Foden’s quickfire goals in the 44th and 48th minutes proving decisive, the latter assisted by Erling Haaland. Fulham’s response came via Alex Iwobi’s strike in the 57th and Samuel Chukwueze’s double in the 72nd and 78th, but an own goal by Sander Berge in the 54th had already tilted the balance further towards City. Key substitutions injected energy, like Chukwueze replacing Saša Lukić at 46’ to spark Fulham’s comeback, while City’s late yellow for Rayan Cherki at 90+5’ added tension without altering the outcome.

Fulham lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Emile Smith Rowe pulling strings in the attacking midfield role behind Raúl Jiménez, forming a creative partnership that led to their late first-half goal. Alex Iwobi provided width and a goal threat from the flanks, while substitutes like Samuel Chukwueze, who came on at half-time, added pace and finishing to shift momentum.

Manchester City deployed a 4-3-3 setup, relying on Erling Haaland’s central presence up front, supported by Phil Foden’s dynamism in the attacking third where he scored twice and created chances. Tijjani Reijnders contributed in midfield with a goal, and assists from Haaland and Jérémy Doku highlighted effective forward partnerships before substitutions like Savinho coming on for Doku at 64’.

Phil Foden earned Ladbrokes’ Man of the Match honours for his standout performance, bagging two goals that helped secure Manchester City’s lead at crucial points. He created one big chance and delivered two key passes, underlining his influence in breaking down Fulham’s defence without needing assists to shine.

Recent Premier League matches:

• Loss: 4-5 vs Manchester City (H)
• Win: 2-1 vs Tottenham Hotspur (A)
• Win: 1-0 vs Sunderland (H)
• Loss: 0-2 vs Everton (A)
• Win: 3-0 vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (H)

Recent Premier League matches:

• Win: 5-4 vs Fulham (A)
• Win: 3-2 vs Leeds United (H)
• Loss: 1-2 vs Newcastle United (A)
• Win: 3-0 vs Liverpool (H)
• Win: 3-1 vs AFC Bournemouth (H)

Fulham have just suffered a 4-5 home defeat to Manchester City, leaving them in 15th place on 17 points after a patchy run that includes wins over Tottenham and Sunderland but losses to Everton. They face Crystal Palace next on 2025-12-07 at 16:30, with the visitors sitting 10th on 20 points, offering Fulham a chance to climb away from the lower half and build some consistency.

Manchester City have just claimed a 5-4 away win over Fulham, keeping them in 2nd place on 28 points following a solid streak with victories against Leeds, Liverpool and Bournemouth, despite a loss to Newcastle. Their next test is against Sunderland on 2025-12-06 at 15:00, where the opponents are 6th on 22 points, making it a key fixture to maintain pressure at the top of the table.

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Odds and market details are accurate as of the time of publication.