Source: Telegraph
Fulham 1 Manchester City 2: match report
Fulham returned to the real world at Craven Cottage when first half goals from Roque Santa Cruz and Carlos Tevez handed Manchester City a valuable Premier League victory. [LNB]Danny Murphy replied with a late penalty but it was too little, too late for Fulham. [LNB]They may have risen from the dead to beat Juventus 4-1 and reach the quarter-finals of the Europa League, but Fulham found it hard against slick Manchester City, who claimed a sixth successive League game without loss to put pressure on their rivals for fourth spot. [LNB]The win takes City into fifth place, two points behind Spurs with a game in hand. [LNB]Yet City, already without Wayne Bridge, were forced to change their defence shortly before kick-off when Joleon Lescott suffered a hamstring problem in the warm-up. [LNB]Javier Garrido, due to begin on the bench, was drafted in from the start while Micah Richards was added to the substitutes. [LNB]But, as on Thursday night, Fulham suffered an early set-back when the visitors took the lead in the opening exchanges. [LNB]Against Juventus, Fulham conceded in the second minute; this time it took seven minutes, with Santa Cruz, in for the suspended Emanuel Adebayor, opening the scoring. [LNB]Carlos Tevez fed Craig Bellamy and the Welshman's shot was diverted onto the right post. Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer fumbled as he attempted to clear and Santa Cruz tapped home with ease for only his fourth City goal. [LNB]A minute earlier, Fulham had been denied when Zoltan Gera's effort was cleared dramatically off the line by City captain Kolo Toure. [LNB]There were signs of fatigue in Fulham's players following one of the most remarkable results in the club's history. [LNB]And even the crowd seemed to be suffering a hangover from the exploits of Thursday night, with a subdued atmosphere around Craven Cottage. [LNB]Roy Hodgson, the Fulham manager, made only two changes and both in defence with Brede Hangeland replaced by Chris Smalling, while Danny Murphy returned from suspension and Chris Baird returned to defence, in place of Stephen Kelly. [LNB]And, in the 36th minute, City doubled their lead thanks to the brilliance of Tevez. [LNB]A delightful move down the left flank saw the Argentine thred the ball through the legs of Murphy, feed Bellamy, collect the return pass then side step Smalling soon to join Manchester United before finishing superbly for his 22nd goal of the season. [LNB]It was also City's 600th Premier League goal in what was their 497th game in the competition. [LNB]Fulham replaced Bobby Zamora with Clint Dempsey, the man who scored the goal that beat Juventus, early in the second half. And minutes later another striker, Zoltan Gera, was replaced by Stefano Okaka. [LNB]But still City pressed and after Schwarzer saved well from Santa Cruz, Adam Johnson struck the outside of the left post. [LNB]Fulham responded in the 75th minute when, after Gareth Barry had handled Chris Baird's cross, Murphy converted the penalty. [LNB]Okaka squandered two late opportunities, firstly with a blocked shot and then with an effort he put wide when he should have scored. [LNB]And in added time City survived a second pemalty claim, when Bjorn Helge Riise's cross appeared to hit the hand of Vincent Kompany. [LNB]
