London: Top-class goals from Bernardo Silva and Sergio Aguero took Manchester City back to the top of the Premier League in a 2-0 win Saturday over Fulham at Craven Cottage.
A wayward ball from Fulham’s Timothy Fosu-Mensah gifted the visitors the lead in the fifth minute. Sergio Aguero intercepted the Dutchman’s pass just outside the area and passed to Silva, who cut across past two defenders and drove his left-footed shot into the corner past the diving Sergio Rico in goal.
City manager Pep Guardiola told reporters after the game that Silva was playing so well he had made himself a fixture in the line-up. “The way he is playing, I cannot do anything else but put him on the pitch,” he stated.
Fulham, who were missing top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic after the international break, kept five men in the back line in a bid to keep City’s attack at bay, leading to one-way traffic. In the end, the Cottagers were unable to register a single shot on target all game.
City’s Silva turned provider in the 27th minute, pouncing onto a loose ball and passing to Aguero, who sprang forward past three defenders and shot from a tight angle up into the opposite corner for his league-leading 19th goal of the season.
The result took City back to the top of the Premier League on 77 points, one ahead of Liverpool who host Tottenham Hotspur, Sunday. “Now it’s the last part of the season, seven games left. It’s easy: Every game we play we have to win if we want to be champions,” Guardiola opined.
For Fulham, the outlook is bleak. They remain in 19th place on 17 points, and will now most likely need to win every one of their remaining six matches to have a chance of avoiding relegation.
Reuters