Fulham 4-5 Manchester City: Iwobi, Chukwueze score as Cottagers break 63-year record in nine-goal thriller


Super Eagles stars Alex Iwobi and Samuel Chukwueze scored as Fulham fell to a narrow 5-4 defeat at home to Manchester City, Soccernet.ng reports.

After seeing off Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 last weekend, Fulham returned to Craven Cottage for their Premier League fixture against former Champions Manchester City.

Given the quality of both teams, the Cottagers were the underdogs heading into the fixture.

Samuel Chukwueze celebrates bringing the score to 3-5 during the Fulham vs Manchester City
Samuel Chukwueze celebrates bringing the score to 3-5 during the Fulham vs Manchester City. (Photo by Imago).

Fulham coach Marco Silva decided to make some changes to his team from the last game against Spurs, and Chukwueze was on the receiving end, despite assisting in back-to-back games for the Cottagers.

The decision proved costly in the first half, as they lacked bite in the first half. The Londoners were already three goals down by the 44th minute, courtesy of strikes from Erling Haaland, Tijjani Reijnders, and Phil Foden.

However, Emile Smith Rowe pulled one back just before the break to make it 3-1 and give Fulham a glimmer of hope.

At halftime, coach Silva decided to take off Kenny Tete and Sasa Lukic for Timothy Castagne and Chukwueze.

But within just nine minutes into the second period, the Cottagers conceded twice, with Haaland adding to his tally, and Sander Berge inadvertently putting the ball in his own net.

However, Fulham picked themselves up pretty well after that. Iwobi pulled one back in the 57th minute. He pounced on a lose ball just in front of the D and struck a low curler that neat Gianluigi Donnarumma in City’s goal.

But Fulham were not done yet. In the 72nd minute, Chukwueze made it 5-3. He after a bad Fulham cross from the right side of the pitch, the ball fell kindly for the Super Eagles star inside the area.

Chukwueze made no mistake, as he caught the ball on the volley, striking it with venom to send it nestling in the bottom-left corner of Donnarumma’s goal.

Six minutes later, Chukwueze scored his second of the night, and it was similar to the first. He arrived first to a clearance in front of the area and whipped the ball with venom into the area.

The ball just fizzled past multiple players and found its way to the right corner of the goal to make it 5-4.

Chukwueze’s goal setup a frenetic end to the game, but Manchester City just managed to hold on tightly and saw out the 5-4 win.

Which Record Was Broken In Fulham vs Manchester City?

According to Opta Joe, Fulham’s 5-4 loss to Manchester City on Tuesday was the first time since 1952 that they would be losing a home league game despite scoring four goals.

Samuel Chukwueze celebrates fourth goal during the Fulham vs Manchester City
Samuel Chukwueze celebrates fourth goal during the Fulham vs Manchester City (Photo by Imago)

Next up for them is a London derby against Crystal Palace at Craven Cottage on Sunday.

It is now four goal involvements in three games for Samuel Chukwueze. He will be looking to continue his fine run for the Cottagers in the coming weeks.