Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola expressed a mixture of relief and concern following his team's narrow 5-4 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage on Tuesday. The high-scoring affair, which saw City initially cruise to a 5-1 lead, quickly turned into a nail-biting finish as Fulham mounted an impressive comeback. Guardiola admitted he found it "impossible" to enjoy the match, particularly as Fulham narrowed the scoreline.
"Did you enjoy it? I lost my hair," Guardiola joked, highlighting the tension he felt as the game progressed. Despite the win, which moved City within two points of Premier League leaders Arsenal, Guardiola emphasized the need for his team to learn from the experience. He pointed to defensive frailties as a key area for improvement, noting that "all the goals were bad defending". Guardiola wants his team to occupy spaces better when defending crosses.
The game was packed with drama, including Erling Haaland reaching his 100th Premier League goal in record time. Haaland became the fastest player to reach the 100-goal milestone, achieving the feat in just 111 games. Reflecting on Haaland's achievement, Guardiola said, "For people up front it's a question of numbers, and his numbers have no discussion". He further praised Haaland, hoping that he is hungry to continue scoring goals for the club.
Phil Foden also had a noteworthy performance, scoring two goals. Guardiola praised Foden's return to form, stating, "This season, from the beginning, he's back". He said that Foden is extraordinary not just for the goals.
Despite the attacking brilliance, Guardiola was quick to address the defensive concerns. After Nico Gonzalez went off, City became too anxious, which led to defensive errors. He acknowledged the need for better defending, especially after City conceded three goals in quick succession. Guardiola wants his team to learn from this experience and improve their defensive stability in future matches.
In the final minutes of the match, Guardiola highlighted the contributions of Rayan Cherki, Bernardo Silva and Nico O'Reilly. He said that they were key to keeping less chance to concede a goal. Guardiola specifically praised Cherki, who was exceptional.
Looking ahead, Guardiola will be keen to address the defensive vulnerabilities exposed in the Fulham game as Manchester City prepare to host Sunderland at the Etihad Stadium. While celebrating the victory and individual milestones, Guardiola remains focused on ensuring his team learns from the "Fulham scare" and continues to improve as they compete for the Premier League title.
