Mark Hughes gained sweet revenge for his dismissal as Manchester City
manager 14 months ago by virtually ending their Premier League title
challenge as Fulham claimed a point in a 1-1 draw.
Damien Duff's leveller just after half-time was enough to deny the Blues
victory, leaving them 10 points adrift of leaders Manchester United,
having played a game more.
And ill-feeling between Blues' bosses past and present erupted with an
angry exchange at the final whistle, when Roberto Mancini did not appear
to look at his predecessor at the post-match handshake, leading to
Hughes pulling his hand away in disgust.
Mancini has far more to worry about.
If Tottenham and Chelsea win their games in hand, City will find
themselves outside the top four.
And, having complained so often about the huge number of fixtures his
team are having to play, Mancini must be concerned about how meekly they
faded once the Cottagers had levelled Mario Balotelli's ninth goal of
the season.
Having let a number of squad men leave on loan, Mancini now finds injury
robbing him of others and far better will be required on Wednesday if
City are to dispose of Aston Villa to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals.
Fulham headed north boasting a proud record of just one defeat in their
last seven league encounters at City.
The most famous, a 3-2 win three seasons ago after the Blues had taken a
two-goal lead, saved them from the drop.
These days, City are a far stronger outfit, as Fulham boss Mark Hughes
could testify given he was sacked 14 months ago because owner Sheikh
Mansour felt the Welshman had fallen marginally short of the exacting
standards he was set.
Hughes' successor Roberto Mancini is doing better, although he has spent
another huge pot of money to achieve it.
Yet, with David Silva missing due to an ankle problem and City in the
middle of what could turn into 15 matches in seven weeks, the hosts were
a lacklustre during the opening stages.
Balotelli went close on a couple of occasions but so did Fulham, whose
skipper Danny Murphy watched his rising drive fly over midway through
the half.
With the atmosphere flat as well, City needed something to raise them.
For once, Carlos Tevez, sporting a tight perm, was outdone, both in the
fashion stakes and who should score.
Balotelli's 'Mr T-style' dyed blonde hair was fairly distinctive. His
goal was better.
Exchanging a couple of short passes with Tevez, the Italy striker was
given too much room by Murphy and promptly despatched an excellent shot
past Mark Schwarzer.
Had Aleksandar Kolarov showed even a small amount of awareness when he
streaked into the box minutes later, City would have had a second.
Instead, the Serbian ignored a posse of expectant team-mates, smashing a
shot into the side-netting from an impossible angle.
Fulham kept battling, although there was rather too much aggression from
Clint Dempsey, who after engaging in bad-tempered exchanges with Gareth
Barry, Yaya Toure and Pablo Zabaleta, was summoned by referee Peter
Walton to receive a lecture from Murphy.
But Dempsey's attitude belied a fierce Fulham determination. And within
two minutes of the restart they were level.
The execution was simplicity itself.
Brede Hangeland sent Andrew Johnson flying down the right wing.
The former Everton star galloped on a few paces before drilling a cross
low into the area, which Duff arrived with perfect timing to tuck home
from close range.
As City's response was limited to a Balotelli mis-kick after Zabaleta
had taken advantage of Hangeland's slip to pull a cross back to the near
post and holes were appearing with alarming regularity in the hosts'
midfield, Edin Dzeko was sacrificed as Mancini abandoned his three-man
attack.
The extra solidity Patrick Vieira brought to midfield nearly paid
dividends too as Balotelli lifted a pass over the Fulham defence to
release Tevez.
Mark Schwarzer got his angles right though, pushing the South American's
effort just wide.
The veteran Australian needed every inch of his massive frame to touch a
dipping Kolarov effort over as City began to build up some momentum,
although as it turned out, Fulham looked more plausible winners in the
latter stages.
Dempsey and Dembele both went close as Duff terrorised the City defence
from his right flank station.
Balotelli suffered the ire of his own supporters when he blazed over two
minutes' from time, which proved to be City's last chance.
Source: DSG