Fulham haven't had the best run this year and are likely to miss out on a top-10 finish. To hit 50 points, they'd need a perfect finish to the season. Since the start of 2024, they've won five, drawn five, and lost six of their 16 Premier League matches. They head into Saturday's game without a win in three, having drawn their last two against Crystal Palace and Brentford.
Last weekend, Fulham shared the points in a 0-0 draw at Brentford, leaving them in 13th place, four points behind Bournemouth, who sit in 10th, with just two games left to play. Fulham's final match of the season is against Luton Town, who are fighting to avoid relegation. But before that, they must face Man City, the title contenders. Fulham's last win at home against City was back in November 2005, so they'll need to pull out all the stops.
Even though Fulham's form hasn't been stellar, they've been solid at home this season, earning 65% of their points (29 out of 44) at Craven Cottage. They've also beaten big names like Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur on home turf, giving them hope for an upset against City.
Meanwhile, Manchester City extended their unbeaten run in the Premier League to 20 matches with a resounding 5-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend. Erling Haaland was the star, scoring four goals, including a first-half hat-trick. With 25 league goals this season, he's leading the Golden Boot race by at least four goals. Julian Alvarez also got on the scoreboard, capping a dominant performance.
City's last league defeat was on December 6, and with their title fate in their own hands, they can't afford to slip up. They're just a point behind Arsenal with a game in hand. If they beat Fulham, they'll go two points ahead of Arsenal, who play Manchester United on Sunday.
Pep Guardiola has said that if City stumble in any of their remaining games, Arsenal could claim the title. But considering City's current form and their incredible record against Fulham, it's hard to see them losing on Saturday.
City have won the last 15 matches against Fulham across all competitions, tying the record for the longest winning streak one English team has against another. They've also scored in each of their last 15 league games at Craven Cottage, matching Manchester United's record of scoring against Middlesbrough in all away games.
With everything on the line for City and Fulham's struggles, this could be another high-scoring affair, with City as the clear favorites to continue their winning streak.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Fulham's only injury concern is with Serbian midfielder Sasa Lukic, who is sidelined with a minor calf issue, according to head coach Marco Silva.With Lukic out, Harrison Reed, who missed the draw with Brentford due to a knock, is likely to step in alongside Joao Palhinha in central midfield. Ahead of them, Alex Iwobi, Andreas Pereira, and Willian are expected to drive the attack.
Former Manchester City player Tosin Adarabioyo has been absent from Fulham's squad for the last two matches. Rumor has it that he turned down a contract extension, and with his current deal set to end in June, he might have played his last game for the club. This means Issa Diop and Calvin Bassey are likely to keep their places in central defense.
Rodrigo Muniz, who has scored seven of his nine Premier League goals at Craven Cottage this season, is expected to lead the line again for Fulham.
On the Manchester City side, they have no injury concerns, so Pep Guardiola will have his entire squad at his disposal.
Goalkeeper Ederson is back from a minor shoulder issue and is expected to start, while Ruben Dias has recovered from illness and is likely to return to central defense alongside John Stones.
Phil Foden, who missed out on some recent games due to illness, is fit and could be in the starting lineup. He might join Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva in the attack. Meanwhile, Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish will be pushing to earn starting roles.
Julián Álvarez is another attacking option for City, but he isn't expected to replace Erling Haaland, the team's top scorer, who scored a hat-trick in the last game against Fulham. Haaland will be looking to add to his tally as City aim to maintain their title challenge.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Fulham possible starting lineup:Leno; Castagne, Diop, Ream, Robinson; Palhinha, Reed; Iwobi, Pereira, Willian; Muniz
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Ederson; Walker, Akanji, Ake, Gvardiol; Rodri, Kovacic; Bernardo, De Bruyne, Foden; Haaland
EXPERT PREDICTION
Fulham 1-4 Manchester City
City has an impressive record against Fulham, scoring at least twice in their last 16 matches against them. It seems likely they'll have plenty of success in front of goal again at Craven Cottage on Saturday.
