Fulham (A) | PL | Post-Match Thread

What happened today was very interesting, and a lesson for the lads. It showed that a mid-table team, at the end of the season and with absolutely nothing to play for, still want to scrap with us. Why? Because we're the incumbent champions. If they had equalised, believe it, the players and the entire stadium would have celebrated that as if they'd actually won a trophy.
That's how it will often be in this run-in. That we negotiated it is as important to me as the victory over the Arse. We did have nine shots on target, to be fair, and hit the woodwork. We should have put the game comfortably to bed. We didn't. That happens. What then counts is character, determination, sheer bloody mindedness. We can do that game too. This was not another Forest. That's the only important thing for me.

The pressure on Arsenal is now huge. Any kind of cock-up against Chelsea — and even a draw against them would be a cock-up — would be hugely damaging. We'd still be top, and with two games over them. I'm expecting them to win, and comfortably.
In any case, we now have two games at home. I believe the Hammers game will be another scrap. Could be a banana skin. A draw is certainly possible. I'd be astonished if we didn't take the three points against Leeds. The Arse, by contrast, have to now go to Saint James's Park. I'd be as astonished if they won there, as if we got anything other than a win against Leeds.
But ok, it's football. Strange things happen. I'm only talking about plausible outcomes here.
For the moment… we're at the wheel.
 
Only thing I'll remember about this game will be haaland getting his big 50. And alvarez super strike.
This stage of the season every game is a final and all I care about is the win. We did that and we move on to our next final.
 
3 points, top of the league at the start of May, job done, move on to Wednesday … nothing else matters at this stage of the season!
 

'It was so tight'​

FT: Fulham 1-2 Man City
74d215d1-1b6a-4091-8523-c65e2179b1e8.jpg

Manchester City
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola speaking to Match of the Day: "I didn't have any doubt. The game was so tight until the end, we could not expect anything differently. This amount of games is a lot but we knew that after we beat Arsenal at home that winning these types of games is really important. The players behaved amazingly."
On Haaland becoming the first player to score 50 top-flight goals since 1931: "Before Winston Churchill was Prime Minister? Wow. Sounds a long time ago. Congratulations to Erling. The best goals to help us achieve what we want still is there."
On responding to Fulham's goal: "We responded really well. The momentum was there, we were playing good. It was not easy because they defended really well, inside it was so difficult. Marco prepared really well. It was not so quick because the pitch was so dry for both sides. In general it was a good performance, knowing the opponent and knowing where we came from."
On Julian Alvarez: "He made the penalty, not just the goal. Evey time he plays it's massive. Today the goal was extraordinary. We have incredible striker honestly."
On if it was a nervy performance: "It was quite similar to Nottingham Forest. There we had more chances than today. We had good moments, they didn't create much, we didn't create many opportunities. The result was tight and it was always open."
On going top of the table: "It's important but on Tuesday Arsenal will play. The important is the West Ham game, it's a game in hand. After that we'll be top of the table and it will be more real."
 
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