It definitely wasn’t simple, however Manchester Metropolis managed to beat Fulham on the Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
A Rodri-less Man Metropolis had been made to work for all three factors by a spirited Fulham aspect, even going behind within the sport because of a twenty sixth minute objective from Andreas Pereira.
Mateo Kovacic’s brace and a objective from Jeremy Doku would make it 3-1 ultimately for Metropolis, earlier than a Rodrigo Muniz objective late within the sport arrange a nervy end. Ultimately, nonetheless, Pep Guardiola’s aspect had been capable of maintain agency and safe a 3-2 win.
This is Man Metropolis’s finest and worst-performing gamers within the win over Fulham, in accordance 90min’s participant rankings.
Mateo Kovacic: 9/10
Because the Rodri substitute in Man Metropolis’s midfield, it is truthful to say that Mateo Kovacic has fairly the duty on his fingers over the subsequent few months.
On Saturday, he definitely confirmed that he is able to filling the Ballon d’Or nominees boots.
The Croatian, as Rodri has been on so many events in recent times, proved to be the match winner for Man Metropolis on the weekend. Kovacic’s two objectives – the second of which exhibiting off explicit finesse – had been the rationale why the Residents are heading into the worldwide only one level behind Liverpool within the Premier League desk as a substitute of 4.
Ilkay Gundogan: 5/10
Whereas his midfield teammate was firing within the objectives on Saturday, it was fairly clear that Ilkay Gundogan had left his taking pictures boots at dwelling.
As he has in a fairly worrying variety of video games since re-joining the membership, Gundogan spurned a number of respectable possibilities within the sport on Saturday. He must re-find his finest kind in entrance of objective quickly, or he could also be out of the beginning lineup.