On a night that will go down in Premier League history, Manchester City survived a dramatic 5–4 thriller at Craven Cottage against Fulham a result overshadowed by a momentous achievement from their talismanic striker Erling Haaland. With a 17th-minute strike, Haaland became the fastest player ever to reach 100 Premier League goals, doing so in just 111 league appearances smashing a record held since 1995 by Alan Shearer.
City looked in total control for much of the evening. After Haaland’s opener, they surged into a 5–1 lead thanks to goals from Tijjani Reijnders, and a brace from Phil Foden, along with an own goal, before Fulham launched a remarkable comeback attempt.
Fulham struck back through Emile Smith Rowe, Alex Iwobi, and a brace from Samuel Chukwueze, nearly completing an incredible turnaround. Their fight-back nearly forced a draw, but a dramatic goal-line clearance by City defender Joško Gvardiol in stoppage time preserved the victory.
📊 Match Snapshot
| Statistic | Details |
|---|---|
| Final Score | Fulham 4 – 5 Manchester City |
| Haaland Milestone | 100th Premier League goal (fastest ever, 111 games) |
| City Scorers | Erling Haaland, Tijjani Reijnders, Phil Foden x2, Own Goal (Fulham) |
| Fulham Scorers | Emile Smith Rowe, Alex Iwobi, Samuel Chukwueze x2 |
| Dramatic Moment | Gvardiol goal-line clearance denied equalizer in added time |
📈 What This Means
- For Haaland: He cements his place among the Premier League’s greatest ever strikers milestone reached faster than any before.
- For Manchester City: Despite defensive wobbles, City demonstrate their attacking firepower and resilience under pressure. The win keeps them hot on the heels of league leaders.
- For Fulham: While the loss stings, their fight-back earns respect and shows their character under pressure.
Manager Pep Guardiola praised Haaland’s consistency and hunger after the match:
“If you told me when he arrived he’d get 100 in 111 games, I wouldn’t have believed it. The numbers are insane.”
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