Match of the Day duo Gary Lineker and Jermaine Jenas praised Manchester City for their "scary" performance against Fulham, with the Blues winning 2-1 at the Etihad.
Pep Guardiola's side took the lead through Julian Alvarez in the 16th minute, but the home side were reduced to 10 men before the half-time break when Joao Cancelo was sent off for a foul inside his own penalty area. The Cottagers levelled proceedings with the subsequent penalty after Andreas Pereira calmly converted his spot-kick.
Despite being a man down, the Blues continued to dominate the clash and grabbed a much-needed winner in stoppage time when Erling Haaland came off the bench to convert a penalty after Kevin De Bruyne was fouled inside the box.
Former Tottenham Hotspur pair Lineker and Jenas were impressed with City's performance against the London outfit, lauding Guardiola's side for delivering an uncompromising display.
Speaking on Match of the Day, host Lineker said: "Maybe City can play every game with 10 men, and then it would even up the league and give everyone else a little bit of a chance - but even with 10 men for much of the game they had 71 per cent possession and made 706 passes. It’s remarkable, really."
Jenas responded: "It was scary reading, and it was incredible to watch, it really was. Pep [Guardiola] must have been delighted with the way his team reacted to the red card. The Cancelo red card is a red card, it’s clear - he doesn’t make an attempt to play the ball so the referee had to send him off.
"But everything from that point was about complete control. Bernardo Silva was brilliant - they all were. It’s good players knowing how to get on the ball and keep the ball. It’s total football. It’s just ‘go out there and peform’.
He added: "Fulham actually provided a really good press, but they just don’t care, City.
"They take risks, they take responsibility. Alvarez is chasing his own flick-ons - that shows you that fight, that desire which Pep spoke about. City take the heart out of you when they play this way. And when they come into the final third, now it’s like ‘game on’. This is what they do. It was a pleasure to watch City today, they were brilliant.”
City face off against Chelsea in the EFL Cup on Wednesday night, before welcoming Brentford to the Etihad at the weekend for a Premier League clash.
feyabcilp
2
Breaking news! FIFA's reaction to City being reduced to 10' men during the Fulham game at the Etihad. Has seen the referee reprimanded and his match fee forfeited. In an attempt to placate City they've awarded them Leipzig in the last 16 of the Champions league FIFA said they will also monitor the performances of all the teams so as to make sure City don't feel they're being given disadvantaged. Jurgen klopp has already complained and was told by a spokesperson to look forward to facing Real Madrid!!!
TheO2man
0
Oh sorry bro I didn't you were my country man.
It's ok. No worries.
Pakacimru
1
The referee helped Pep Guardiolar by awarding penalty to City, penalty that should never have been. Clearly there's an insignificant, minimal touch on KDB and he's not even goal bound, it's not a clear scoring opportunity so how on earth would that be a penalty? Football is a contact game but such decision means the rule of the game on contact in the box should be amended. The same goes for handball in the penalty box. There's too much inconsistency on how penalties are awarded with regard to handling of the ball by the defending player and contact with the attacking player in the box. The problem seems to be more in the English league than anywhere else. England has earned the reputation of being the home of controversial refereeing decisions. For me, I would prefer the rule was made such that every handball by a defender in his box is a penalty and every contact by a defender with an attacking player in the box should be a penalty. Enough of all the nonsense going on.
English referee are so inconsistent, Arnold push on sessegon is not a pen but cancelo is pen.
tampumi
1
Its a penalty only if its against City 🤟 ok thnx
Miracleking
0
The referee helped Pep Guardiolar by awarding penalty to City, penalty that should never have been. Clearly there's an insignificant, minimal touch on KDB and he's not even goal bound, it's not a clear scoring opportunity so how on earth would that be a penalty? Football is a contact game but such decision means the rule of the game on contact in the box should be amended. The same goes for handball in the penalty box. There's too much inconsistency on how penalties are awarded with regard to handling of the ball by the defending player and contact with the attacking player in the box. The problem seems to be more in the English league than anywhere else. England has earned the reputation of being the home of controversial refereeing decisions. For me, I would prefer the rule was made such that every handball by a defender in his box is a penalty and every contact by a defender with an attacking player in the box should be a penalty. Enough of all the nonsense going on.
Oh sorry bro I didn't you were my country man.
TheO2man
2
The referee helped Pep Guardiolar by awarding penalty to City, penalty that should never have been. Clearly there's an insignificant, minimal touch on KDB and he's not even goal bound, it's not a clear scoring opportunity so how on earth would that be a penalty? Football is a contact game but such decision means the rule of the game on contact in the box should be amended. The same goes for handball in the penalty box. There's too much inconsistency on how penalties are awarded with regard to handling of the ball by the defending player and contact with the attacking player in the box. The problem seems to be more in the English league than anywhere else. England has earned the reputation of being the home of controversial refereeing decisions. For me, I would prefer the rule was made such that every handball by a defender in his box is a penalty and every contact by a defender with an attacking player in the box should be a penalty. Enough of all the nonsense going on.