Source: Daily_Mail
Fulham v Manchester City live
Two goal-less draws at have seen Manchester City stumble in their chase for the Premier League title, but it does not get easier as they travel to Fulham who have lost just once at Craven Cottage all season. Follow Sportsmail's coverage of the game that kicks-off at 4pm where you can email me your thoughts on the action at dan.ripley@dailymail.co.uk[LNB] Fulham 1-4 Manchester City (4pm)Fulham: Schwarzer, Baird, Hangeland, Hughes, Salcido, Davies, Murphy, Etuhu (Kamara 64), Duff (Gera 46), Dempsey, Andrew Johnson.Subs: Stockdale, Kelly, Pantsil, Dikgacoi, Greening.[LNB]Goals: Gera 70.Man City: Hart, Zabaleta, Toure, Kompany, Kolarov, Toure Yaya, De Jong, Barry (Vieira 82), Jo, Tevez (Adam Johnson 78), Silva (Milner 89).Subs: Given, Wright-Phillips, Adebayor, Boyata.[LNB]Goals: Tevez 6, 56 Zabaleta 32 Yaya Toure 35.Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire) [LNB]18.05: That's it from me on what has been a manic Premier League weekend where there was not one draw.[LNB]Two or three weeks ago the title was all but Chelsea's, but how things change. Four or five sides can arguably claim they are in with a great shout.[LNB]Thank you for following Sportsmail's Premier league coverage throughout the weekend but come back tomorrow for the Monday night game between Sunderland and Everton. Should be a cracker! Until then enjoy the rest of your weekend.[LNB]18.01: Gareth Barry was purring about City's display:[LNB]'It all clicked today, it's probably the best we've played all season.[LNB]Some players went over to Mark Hughes out of respect at the start of the game but once it started it was about Fulham v Man City and us grabbing the three points.'[LNB]17.59: That result means City go back into fourth and as mentioned back in the title hunt.[LNB]For Fulham, they stay 17th and despite that thumping still hold a vastly greater goal difference to Wigan below them on the same points.[LNB]17.56: Despite an improved second-half performance from Fulham, I do wonder how much of that was City easing up. Mancini is cheered off by his supporters and after a tough couple of weeks must be feeling a little bit more relaxed after an emphatic win.[LNB]17.53: Those of you who wrote of City's title chances hang your head in shame! They are now just three points behind league leaders Chelsea.[LNB]Full-time: Fulham 1-4 Manchester City[LNB]90+2min: De Jong's shoulder connects with Gera in the box and although the Fulham striker goes down clutching his face, it's never a penalty and there is no malice intended.[LNB]90+1min: There will be three minutes added on.[LNB]89min: Final sub for City sees Silva replaced by James Milner.[LNB]88min: Fair play to those Fulham fans, they have stuck with this until the very end, always good to see that.[LNB]85min: Always the way when you hype up a free-kick like that. Gera curls it miles over.[LNB]84min: Chance to make this more respectable for Fulham as they win a free-kick to the right 20 yards out.[LNB]82min: Second change for Mancini as Patrick Vieira replaces Barry.[LNB]81min: I know it's easy to say in a game where the score is 4-1 but I see another goal here, Fulham have looked much better this half but City remain lethal on the counter.[LNB]79min: The bookings are out on force as Johnson is booked for quite a hefty challenge on Kompany.[LNB]78min: But it's Tevez who is coming off first and Johnson indeed replaces him.[LNB]76min: Zabaleta crashes in on Kamara and is furious as he is given a booking which will rule him out of City's next game.[LNB]75min: Adam Johnson is warming up as Gareth Barry appears to be struggling with his calves.[LNB]71min: Tevez goes down after being checked by Salcido in the box, you would probably get a free-kick outside the box but give them in the penalty area and strikers would start going down left, right and centre immediately next week.[LNB] Consolation: Joe Hart had no chance in saving Gera's deflected effort[LNB]70min: GOAL! FULHAM 1-4 Manchester City[LNB]It's probably too little, too late but via Kolo Toure's left foot, Zoltan Gera pounces on a loose ball in the box to grab a consolation.[LNB]69min: Better from Fulham, Kamara plays a low ball in the box but Kompany just dives in front of Johnson before the striker can bury it past Hart.[LNB]66min: Records galore, Tevez is now the Premier League's top scorer with nine goals while InfoStradaLive inform us that after seven minutes of the second half, Joe Hart has now not conceded a goal for six hours & 55 minutes of Premier League football, the longest run this season.[LNB]64min: Fulham look to have gave up the ghost but it's another sub as Ethuhu is replaced by Diomansy Kamara.[LNB]59min: Now Kolorov is on the scene, as his curling effort inward across goal from out wide flashes just past of the post. Schwarzer well beaten.[LNB] All over: Tevez deflects the ball for City's fourth goal[LNB]56min: GOAL! Fulham 0-4 MANCHESTER CITY[LNB]He makes up for it. Zabaleta again blasts it outside the box from 20 yards but with Carlos Tevez standing in front of the keeper he gets a cheeky flick to divert in the net. Game is over and the 'boring boring' chants are back.[LNB]56min: In fact it should be four! Tevez is clean through on goal but instead of squaring the ball for Jo to put into an empty net blasts it straight at Schwarzer who in fairness makes a top save.[LNB]55min: Fulham still the better team, I just wonder how much a goal from the hosts will affect City.[LNB]53min: It's a free-kick for a foul anyway but that is a top save from hart as he dives down low to his right to palm away Gera's downward header from inside the six yard box.[LNB]52min: There is our first booking after Dickson Etuhu goes in late on Nigel de Jong of all people.[LNB]Probably a booking for persistent fouling rather than just on the challenge alone as it didn't warrant a card.[LNB] 50min: That famous hairdryer treatment has been passed down. Hughes must have said something at half-time because his side have improved greatly.[LNB]Dempsey drags a shot wide across goal from over 20 yards out but Fulham have bossed these early stages.[LNB]Past and present: Current City boss Roberto Mancini stands near his predecessor Mark Hughes[LNB]48min: Bright start from Fulham, Andy Johnson gets in behind the defence on the right but his ball across goal is cut out by Hart before Gera can pounce.[LNB]Second-half: We are back underway.[LNB]17.04: Hughes does tweak it as Zoltan Gera replaces Damien Duff.[LNB]17.01: InfoStradaLive inform us that Manchester City have only scored three or more first half goals in a Premier league away match on one previous occasion, the 6-1 win at Burnley.[LNB]16.56: What to do for Hughes? A Redknappesque gamble to try and get back into this or admit defeat and stop this becoming a rout? Tough calls to be made, for my money he should go all out and play 3-4-3 but then that's probably the reason I am not a football manager.[LNB]16.53: Looks worrying for Fulham, but West Ham managed to stop a second-half rot yesterday at Liverpool and they were arguably a lot worse when they in 3-0 down at half-time.[LNB]16.48: Fulham booed off by their fans while Roberto Mancini is cheered off by his. The scoreline is a fair reflection of that first-half. [LNB]Half-time: Fulham 0-3 Manchester City [LNB]45+1min: Two minutes injury time.[LNB]44min: Finally some Fulham attacking! A free-kick is pumped forward into the box but Simon Davies at a difficult angle can only flick his header straight at Joe Hart who looks grateful he finally has something to do.[LNB]42min: Wheres the attackers! Kolorov whips in a lovely low ball across the six yard box but there is not a City player within a country mile of it. Told you this City side was negative.[LNB]40min: I can't believe this is the same Man City in recent weeks, the ball retention is phenomenal, Fulham are chasing shadows.[LNB]37min: Maybe that 14-0 scoreline is on after all, City continue to attack. Mark Hughes looking a mixture of stunned and frustrated.[LNB]35min: GOAL! Fulham 0-3 MANCHESTER CITY[LNB]Fulham are falling apart. Silva picks out Tevez on the edge of the box who proceeds to play through Yaya Toure in the box who easily slots it across goal in to the bottom corner. 'Boring boring City' shout the away fans ironically.[LNB] Double up: Zabaleta celebrates scoring Manchester City's second goal[LNB]32min: GOAL! Fulham 0-2 MANCHESTER CITY[LNB]This has been coming and in front of Diego Maradona this is the Argentina show.[LNB]A loose ball in the box is cleared only as far as Pablo Zabaleta just over 20 yards out who hits it with the outside of his right foot as it curls away from Schwarzer in to the top corner.[LNB]It takes a slight deflection of Damien Duff's foot but I don't think Schwarzer was stopping that.[LNB]30min: You would think Fulham are the away side, they just cannot get into this, City have the freedom of the Cottage and are camped in Fulham's half knocking it around nicely.[LNB]28min: City have fully settled now and look the more likely to score on the counter, tevez is looking very sharp.[LNB]25min: Fantastic sliding tackle from Salcido as Pablo Zabaleta looks to break down the right but he comes off slightly hurt holding his ankle.[LNB]He is back up though and looks okay as David Silva fires wide across goal that does not even go wide as it bounces out for a throw in.[LNB]Cold reception: Diego Maradona walks across the Craven Cottage pitch before kick-off[LNB]23min: In fact they counter through Aleksandar Kolorov who through on goal produces a fine stop from Mark Schwarzer who dives low to his left to pluck the ball out for a corner.[LNB]22min: Fulham win a free-kick out wide on the right of the box after Vincent Kompany tangles with Dempsey.[LNB]Danny Murphy's cleverly squared ball low across the penalty box is scuffed by Simon Davies and City clear.[LNB]19min: This game needs a shot let alone another goal. Very slow tempo with not much attacking football. May as well still be 0-0.[LNB]17min: One thing Fulham don't have to worry about is slipping into the relegation zone this evening. That would take a 14-0 defeat. Every cloud and all that.[LNB]15min: Signs Fulham are growing in confidence, Joe Hart in in the City goal still has yet to make a save but a few more crosses are coming in and the likes of Clint Dempsey are being invited to have a shot from distance. Not a good idea.[LNB]13min: Little stat from opta: Gareth Barry has just managed his first assist for Manchester City in the Premier League since March. took me by surprise that.[LNB]11min: That goal is about our only real chance so far, game is lagging a bit.[LNB]8min: Fulham look to immediately but Aaron Hughes' header from a corner is comfortably over.[LNB] Early doors: Skipper Carlos Tevez fires Manchester City into an early lead[LNB]6min: GOAL! Fulham 0-1 MANCHESTER CITY[LNB]That's City's first attack and that is splendid from Carlos Tevez. He shrugs off Carlos Salcido after receiving the ball on the edge of the box before slotting past Schwarzer into the bottom corner.[LNB]4min: Fulham have much of the ball early on in the City half, but Mancini's side have so far kept them at arms length.[LNB]2min: No early fireworks, as both sides get a some crunching challenges early on.[LNB]Kick-off: Fulham get us going.[LNB]15.58: Teams are out at Craven Cottage, great atmosphere from a capacity crowd.[LNB]15.55: Anybody fancy a sweep stake on what City will produce today? I'll throw a tenner in.[LNB]Another nil-nil, on-field player bust ups, more negative tactics and even a barnstorming performance could be in the mix. At some point City have done all four this season.[LNB]15.52: That was the last man I was expecting at this game, Diego Maradona is in attendance as he makes his way across the playing surface into the his vantage point for the game...he looks absolutely freezing.[LNB]15.50: Some pre-match words from Mancini:[LNB]'Today is going to be a very difficult game, Fulham are a difficult team to play against. Jo starts and can play a good game, I'm looking to give him a chance.'[LNB]...and on whether mark Hughes will play a factor...[LNB]'No, todays is just about Manchester City and Fulham.'[LNB]15.46: One result just screams out at us today...draw.[LNB]As mentioned Man City have drawn their last two and Fulham have drawn the most Premier League games this season. If it is a stalemate let's hope it is a high scoring one. Five-five should fit the bill.[LNB]15.43: So 'Sparky' faces the side he last managed for the first time since being dismissed last December.[LNB]He says he is not bitter and that he doesn't hold grudges and there is no reason to doubt that.[LNB]But he will REALLY want to get one Manchester City this afternoon.[LNB]15.41: Roberto Mancini hands £18million Brazilian Jo his first Premier League start since October 2008.[LNB]Although signed before Hughes replaced Sven-Goran Eriksson, Jo was the first arrival in the summer that he became City boss and he soon tired of the former CSKA Moscow man, shipping him out to Everton on loan at the first available opportunity.[LNB]In addition, there are five Hughes signings in the City line-up, including skipper Carlos Tevez, compared to just one, Carlos Salcido, in the Fulham team.[LNB]15.38: As they lineup at Craven Cottage:[LNB]Fulham v Man CityFulham: Schwarzer, Baird, Hangeland, Hughes, Salcido, Davies, Murphy, Etuhu, Duff, Dempsey, Andrew Johnson. Subs: Stockdale, Kelly, Pantsil, Gera, Kamara, Dikgacoi, Greening.Man City: Hart, Zabaleta, Toure, Kompany, Kolarov, Toure Yaya, De Jong, Barry, Jo, Tevez, Silva. Subs: Given, Milner, Wright-Phillips, Adebayor, Adam Johnson, Vieira, Boyata.Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire)[LNB]15.35: Just when you thought those stalemates had seemed to show City were not good enough for a title charge. Two of their main rivals in Arsenal and Chelsea spectacularly drop the ball as both crashed to defeat in yesterday's Barclays Premier League matches.[LNB]But today's opponents Fulham will be just as desperate for the points as they hover just above the relegation zone on goal difference, and that's before we consider the Mark Hughes factor...Team news on the way.[LNB] Heading for the top: Carlos Tevez will hope to fire his City side within three points of league leaders Chelsea[LNB] Hughes has moved on but Fulham boss is determined to stop Man CityDisrespectful! I would not stab another manager in the back, insists Hughes'Balotelli has it easy'! City stars vent frustration at Mancini's 'blue-eyed boy'ALL FULHAM FC
