Two-goal Brahim Diaz and Phil Foden caught the eye as Manchester City had little difficulty dispatching Fulham in the EFL Cup.
2018/2019 League Cup
2-0
Match Report
Manchester City's EFL Cup defence continues after they eased into the quarter-finals with a 2-0 win over fellow Premier League side Fulham, Brahim Diaz getting both goals.
Pep Guardiola included the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus and Leroy Sane in his starting XI, but teenagers Phil Foden and Diaz were the ones to really catch the eye in a straightforward outing at the Etihad Stadium.
City made light work of Fulham in the first half and were unlucky to not add further goals to Diaz's early opener, as they wasted numerous opportunities.
Diaz doubled his tally just after the hour and City subsequently eased to victory, but De Bruyne's late withdrawal may give Guardiola some cause for concern.
14' CHANCE! Sane's shot saved
18'GOAL! Man City 1-0 Fulham (Diaz)
GOAL! 1-0 CITY! City have two corners in a row. The second is taken short and lofted towards the far post for Kompany. He can't control it, but the ball falls to Diaz who shoots. Mitrovic turns his back, the ball takes a big deflection and it wrong-foots Rico to bounce into the net.
24' OFF THE POST! Danilo almost scores
Danilo hits the outside of the post! Some nice interplay between Danilo and Diaz lets the Brazilian right-back bomb on into the box. He hits the ball first time and it cannons off Rico's near post. This could be a hammering if Fulham don't pick up their game.
28' CHANCE! De Bruyne's shot over the bar
City win a free-kick in an inside-left position from 20 yards out. De Bruyne takes it, a dipping effort that drops just over Rico's crossbar. Not far off.
34' What a miss by Sane!
What a miss by Sane! City eviscerate Fulham with a quick triangle between De Bruyne, Foden and Sane. Sane has tons of time to rifle a shot in but instead blasts it over! That really should be 2-0 City.
44' GREAT CHANCE! Foden's header wide out
Chance for City! De Bruyne puts a pinpoint cross into the area for Foden who is arriving late between the Fulham centre-backs. The homegrown talent makes contact with the ball but his header flashes just wide of Rico's right-hand post!
45' CHANCE! Jesus' shot wide out
51' CHANCE! Jesus' header wide out
63' GREAT CHANCE! Sane's shot wide out
Schurrle wriggles free on the left-hand side, looks up and aims a pass for Mitrovic but it's cut out. Down the other end, Fosu-Mensah loses out to Sane, who hits the post when he really should score! Play is called back anyway as the German wrestled the Dutchman off the ball unfairly.
65'GOAL! Man City 2-0 Fulham (Diaz)
GOAL! Sane races towards the area and slides in Jesus, who forces an instinctive save from Rico that bounces onto the far post. The ball rebounds kindly for Diaz who makes no mistake, smashing it high into the net. Two for Diaz, 2-0 City!
86' De Bruyne goes off after knee injury
De Bruyne shakes his head - he'll have to go off after that clash with Fosu-Mensah. Thankfully he's able to walk off the pitch unaided, but the Belgian's injury problems look set to continue.
Line-ups
Man City XI: V. Kompany, F. Delph, Danilo, K. De Bruyne, J. Stones, Zinchenko, Sané, Gabriel Jesus, B.Diaz, Foden, A. Muric
Subs: S. Agüero, K. Walker, Mahrez, R. Sterling, Ederson Moraes, Bernardo Silva, C. Gomes
Fulham XI: D. Odoi, Schürrle, T. Cairney, T. Ream, Sergio Rico, Seri, A. Mitrović, Vietto, Anguissa, Mensah, Ryan Sessegnon
Subs: F. Ayité, Fabri, Le Marchand, Cyrus Christie, Mawson, L. de la Torre, Steven Sessegnon