Man City Ready to Pile Pressure on Arsenal as Fulham Visit the Etihad

That dramatic turnaround at Anfield has given Manchester City genuine reason for optimism. After Dominik Szoboszlai's superb 74th-minute free-kick had them heading for defeat and a nine-point gap to Arsenal, Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland's injury-time penalty combined to secure a precious three points.

The victory means City now trail the Gunners by six points heading into Wednesday's clash with Fulham. Should they dispatch the Cottagers at the Etihad, they could cut that deficit to just three before Arsenal take on Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium the following evening.

Fulham arrive with European aspirations of their own, but their recent form makes for grim reading. Back-to-back Premier League defeats have dented their campaign—a last-gasp Benjamin Sesko goal sank them 3-2 at Manchester United, before they squandered a one-goal lead against Everton with 15 minutes remaining, losing 2-1 at home.

The last meeting between these sides remains fresh in the memory: a nine-goal extravaganza at Craven Cottage in early December where City prevailed 5-4, though late Fulham goals made for an uncomfortable finale.

Team News and Selection Dilemmas

City's injury concerns centre on Abdukodir Khusanov, who collided with Gianluigi Donnarumma during the Anfield win. Despite appearing to signal he could continue, the club's medical staff withdrew him as a concussion substitute. Ruben Dias, back after eight games sidelined with a hamstring issue, is expected to step in.

John Stones has returned to training following a two-month absence but is unlikely to feature, while Jeremy Doku and Savinho remain on the mend from recent injuries. Josko Gvardiol (tibial fracture) and Mateo Kovacic remain long-term absentees.

Fulham's Marco Silva will be without captain Tom Cairney due to a minor calf complaint, while Sasa Lukic is unavailable following a hamstring injury sustained against Leeds United last month. Rodrigo Muniz and Kenny Tete have recovered from their own hamstring troubles and featured against Everton, with Oscar Bobb—the January signing from City for £27million—pushing for his first start after a brief cameo off the bench.

The Numbers Tell a Brutal Story

The statistics paint a picture of City dominance that borders on suffocating. They've won 19 consecutive meetings with Fulham across all competitions—the longest such streak between any two sides in English football history. In their last 20 encounters, City have scored at least two goals each time, with the last blank dating back to March 2004.

At home, City are unbeaten in their last 11 Premier League games (nine wins, two draws), trailing only Sunderland's 12-game streak. Away at the Etihad, Fulham have lost eight consecutive Premier League matches by an aggregate of 25-4. Their last victory over City came in April 2009—a 3-1 win at this very ground.

Manager Silva carries the unfortunate distinction of having lost all 13 of his Premier League matches against City, a 100% record no other boss can claim.

Haaland has been ruthless against Fulham specifically, contributing to ten goals in seven Premier League appearances (seven goals, three assists). Antoine Semenyo has also thrived against them, recording five goal contributions across his last three league meetings with the Cottagers.

Match Details

The fixture kicks off at 19:30 GMT on Wednesday, February 11, with coverage beginning at 19:00 on TNT Sports 4.

The Verdict

Despite drawing two of their last three home league games, City's extraordinary record against Fulham suggests they'll secure the win. Bookmakers offer 4/11 for a home victory, with the Half Time/Full Time market at 1/1. Those seeking a more emphatic scoreline might explore the -2.5 Asian handicap at 9/4.

Haaland's lack of open-play Premier League goals since before Christmas makes Fulham an inviting target for the Norwegian, available at 11/20 to score anytime. Semenyo, who bagged two goals and an assist in Bournemouth's 3-1 victory over these opponents earlier in the season, is priced at 22/25 to score or assist.