The search for success without Rodri continues for Manchester City as they host Fulham in the Premier League ahead of the international break, with Pep Guardiola knowing he can ill-afford to fall behind in the race at the top of the table.
By Karl Matchett
City are just a point and a place off Liverpool following back-to-back domestic draws, but three draws in five across all competitions perhaps suggests they’re not in peak mode right now.
A midweek jaunt to Slovakia presented no problems for City as they picked up a 4-0 win, with Guardiola able to rotate a few names and rest a few faces ahead of the more pivotal weekend clash.
Fulham will be no pushovers either, judging by their own early season form. The Cottagers have quietly gone about their campaign and are sixth, one defeat from the opening six this year, even if some of the numbers behind their form suggest that might be slightly generous. They are 11th for xG, tenth for big chances, 14th for possession won in the final third. It’s fair to say Marco Silva’s side are maximising their opportunities – with the exception of striker Rodrigo Muniz, who ranks seventh in the league for shots per 90 (4.2) but is yet to find the back of the net.
And Manchester City certainly possess someone who can do that, of course. Erling Haaland is in absurd scoring form, ten to his name in the league from an xG of 6.3. More problematically for the visitors to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, there’s not really evidence to suggest they can keep him at bay.
Fulham have kept just one clean sheet so far, despite restricting opponents to a combined xG of 6.6 this term – the sixth lowest in the Premier League so far. Even so, conceding once a game to the rest of the league can so easily translate to conceding two to Haaland alone.
If Silva’s side show resilience to stop chances being created, the match can become a tense affair of seeing whether City can break down a defence without Rodri providing his powerful and penetrative brand of passing and movement. But allow Haaland in early on – and he already has six goals before the 20-minute mark in matches this term – and trying to keep pace with City can quickly become a slog that few enjoy, over 90 minutes as well as over an entire season.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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