Guardiola predicts Silva will become one of the world's best managers

Pep Guardiola predicted Marco Silva will become one of the top managers in the world in the coming years, ahead of Manchester City hosting Fulham on Wednesday.

City rallied for a dramatic 2-1 victory over Liverpool on Sunday, with Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland on target after Dominik Szoboszlai put the Reds in front at Anfield.

They are now just six points adrift of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League, but with the Gunners not visiting Brentford until Thursday, they have an opportunity to cut the gap to just three points.

But Guardiola's main focus is on facing Fulham, whom they beat 5-4 in December's reverse fixture at Craven Cottage.

City have won their last 19 meetings with Fulham in all competitions, the longest winning run any team has had against another in English football history.

Their 16 straight victories over Fulham in the Premier League, meanwhile, are also the most any team have won in a row against another side in English league history.

But Guardiola said: "Fulham get better every season, with the movements. With the patterns and quality they have, the composure with their play and the speed they have.

"Defensively and offensively, they are really good. Marco is one of the top, top managers I've faced. He is a top, top manager and has the destiny to be one of top ones in a few years."

Addressing Fulham's dismal run against City, Silva said: "It's very bad. Not just for Fulham, for myself as well. It's a bad record, definitely – the facts are there. 

"But, every time you play, it's another chance for you to change it, simple as that. When the facts are so clear, you cannot say anything really different to that. 

"Okay, I can talk about specific things and moments in games, I can speak about from the moment that I joined the football club until now, but it's not necessary."

And across his stints with Watford, Everton and Fulham, Silva has lost all 13 of his matches against City as a Premier League manager, the worst 100% loss rate any manager has against a specific team.

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

Manchester City – Erling Haaland

Haaland has been involved in 10 goals in just seven appearances against Fulham in the Premier League (seven goals, three assists).

The Norwegian finally ended his wait for a Premier League goal at Anfield on Sunday, and against one of his favourite opponents, he will be confident of getting on the scoresheet again.

Fulham – Raul Jimenez 

Both Jimenez and Kevin scored in Fulham's 3-2 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford earlier this month. 

The last Cottagers player to score away at both Man Utd and Man City in the same top-flight season was Pat O'Connell in 1962-63. 

MATCH PREDICTION – MANCHESTER CITY WIN

Given their outstanding record against Fulham, it is little surprise that City are the Opta supercomputer's overwhelming favourites ahead of Wednesday's match.

City also have not lost any of their last 55 midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) Premier League home games (W47 D8), since a 1-0 loss to Tottenham in May 2010.

Guardiola's men have picked up 44 points from a possible 51 in their last 17 home Premier League matches (W14 D2 L1) and are unbeaten in their last 11 at the Etihad (W9 D2), with only Sunderland (12) currently on a longer home unbeaten run in the competition.

Fulham have only won three of 44 away Premier League matches against sides starting the day in the top three of the table (D9 L32), beating Man Utd in October 2003, Spurs in March 2013 and Chelsea in December 2024.

Fulham have also lost their last eight away league games against City by an aggregate score of 25-4, though three of their four Premier League victories against the Citizens have come at the Etihad Stadium.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Manchester City – 67.5%

Fulham – 14.6%

Draw – 17.9%