Fulham

Drew Heatley
Fan writer

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Has a defeat ever felt less like a defeat?

It’s an illustration of Manchester City’s impact on the modern game that many of us still feel so buoyant after the weekend. After all, we played the champions off the park for large periods on Saturday. But Marco Silva and the boys won’t need reminding that you don’t get any points for impressing the neutrals.

Zero points, then. But plenty of positives. Firstly, we have enough strength in depth for Silva to tactically rotate out our £34m record signing, and for that decision to be proved right. Sander Berge came in to provide extra height and steel to the midfield and he did just that.

Secondly, both our strikers are performing. Raul Jimenez continued his fine start to the season with an audacious back-heeled assist for Andreas Pereira’s opener, while Rodrigo Muniz came off the bench to get off the mark for 2024-25 - at the Etihad, no less.

And thirdly, we are sublimely exciting to watch. In Adama Traore we have one of the most unique wingers in the league. Yes, he could have - and should have - finished some of his chances on Saturday. But only he could have got in those positions in the first place. That footage of him leaving Kyle Walker in his dust will live long in the memory.

When the last international break arrived, I welcomed it so Marco could get his tactics in order and bed in our new arrivals. As we arrive at another break, five games and seven points later, it’s a great time to regroup ahead of a 10-game run to Christmas, during which we face just three top six clubs. If we pick up a similar points-per-game tally, we’d be well on course to surpass our best-ever points total.

And, despite this defeat, it certainly feels like that kind of season.

Find more from Drew Heatley at Fulhamish, external

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A VAR related question was put to chief football writer Phil McNulty on Monday's Q&A.

@nubiblue on 'X' asked: Is the new improved VAR working? To me it continues to favour certain clubs.

Phil answered: First of all, I don't believe VAR favours certain clubs and quite honestly, I've not noticed too much difference or huge improvement.

Maybe a little less interference but I confess I lost a lot of faith in VAR after initially being a strong advocate.

I would be happy with semi-automated offside and line technology.

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Manchester City and Fulham.

Here are some of your comments:

City fans

Lea: We are missing Rodri so much. Can't afford to give two goals away. Better teams than Fulham will take points off us. I don't think we will get a trophy this season. How I hope I am wrong.

Tim: Agree with Pep - let's give credit to the opposition, they played some very good football and contributed to a great game to watch. However, let's also give credit to the champions for digging in and winning a very difficult game. Keep the run going, get more familiar without Rodri and improve.

Nick: Hard fought win and another team pushing City. However, I feel that playing Rico Lewis is becoming a luxury and not a necessity. I just don't get his hype. Too easily pushed off the ball or out of possession and I've never known anyone pushed over so easily. Please Rico prove me wrong.

William: City looking flat and slow again. Leaking cheap goals and missing that spark of seasons gone by. Confusing substitutions that didn’t seem to positively influence the match. Something is missing and it’s not just De Bruyne and Rodri.

Fulham fans

Bill: I thought Fulham were brilliant and frankly shocked City. Had Traore scored number two I think the result would have been very different. Much praise from Pep and many positives to take away from a great game of football.

David: Three points dropped potentially, all three of Traore's chances were clearer than any of City's. Score any two of those and it's a win. In reality Fulham could/should have been 3-0 up before City scored and I doubt even they would come back from that.

Will: A display that I am incredibly proud of. Perhaps another day we could have got a result, but this was a great performance in the hardest game of the season. Onwards!

Paul: Fulham were excellent went toe to toe with the best. Created so many good chances. Proud of them.

Sarah Mulkerrins
Final Score reporter at Etihad Stadium

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There was a big puff of the cheeks for Pep Guardiola as the win sunk in - he knew his side were in more of a fight than many expected.

Fulham weathered the early pressure and settled in defence. They did really well on the break, exposing Manchester City at times and gained huge confidence as the game went on.

In as much as a manager can be happy with a loss, you imagine Marco Silva will appreciate a lot of what his team showed. It could also have been so different if Adama Traore was able to finish any of the three chances when he was one on one with Ederson.

There were lots of supportive claps on his shoulder and back at full-time from team-mates and from Silva, who was also deep in a long conversation with Guardiola post-match.

As City adjust to the loss of Rodri, Mateo Kovacic put in a really good shift, along with scoring the crucial goals that pulled them level and then ahead.

However, you still feel they are a little unsettled and Kevin de Bruyne will be a welcome return after the international break if all goes well.

But they got the win which was so important for them after back-to-back draws - and they didn't even have to rely on Erling Haaland for the goals.

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BBC pundits Chris Waddle and Micah Richards were both impressed by Fulham's performance despite eventually losing 3-2 at Manchester City on Saturday.

Marco Silva's side took the lead at Etihad Stadium and spurned several presentable opportunities to extend their lead and then get back into the game after City turned the game around.

"At first they parked the bus, which most teams do when they come to Manchester City," former Newcastle and Tottenham winger Waddle told Sports Report on BBC Radio 5 Live.

"Then they grew in confidence. They thought 'let's have a go' - and with the chances they missed they will be disappointed they didn't get a point.

"They should have got all three really with the chances they created. They'll go away very disappointed. City looked very leggy compared to Fulham."

Former City defender Richards added: "The story, for me, was Fulham.

"They were excellent and had it been for better finishing they could have come away with something."

Listen to Saturday's Sports Report on BBC Sounds

Highlights and analysis from Saturday's seven Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Man City 3-2 Fulham

• Everton 0-0 Newcastle

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Fulham boss Marco Silva, speaking to Sky Sports: "They started the first half very well and the first ten minutes was difficult for us to adapt some things. They had more control of the game with the ball too without making lots of chances. The players executed the plan well, the way we changed some positions and moved things around a little and we started creating.

"We scored the 1-0 goal, and then they got lucky with the deflection to equalise, but before that we had a chance with Adama [Traore] to make it 2-0. The impact of a second goal in that moment would be big.

"We were really punished with the way we started the second half. We cannot concede a goal in the second minute of the half. The reaction was really good, another Adama chance 1v1 with Ederson but we didn't equalise.

"We then had more of the ball, more control, City were getting deeper and finished the game with five at the back. We deserve credit but I am really sad with the result, proud of the performance but we have to take something."

On Alex Iwobi's role: "Great performance from Alex. He understood the instructions and he did really well in tough duels 1v1 with Grealish and then Doku. He was also decisive in our offensive part. The demands in that role on and off the ball were high and he executed it really well."

On Traore's many misses: "Sad moment for him, he is really sad in the dressing room but that is football. We have to look for the reality at what happened this afternoon; it is not easy to create chances like that but he has to take some. We need to keep giving him the trust, belief and love for him to perform in the next game."

Emlyn Begley
BBC Sport journalist at Etihad Stadium

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City boss Pep Guardiola was full of praise for opposite number Marco Silva and the outstanding job he has done at Fulham before the game.

But Fulham traditionally struggle in this fixture. In fact they had lost their last 16 - now 17 - meetings with City, the longest losing run one English league side has ever had against another.

However the Cottagers caused City more problems than some of the world's best teams manage at Etihad Stadium.

Their opening goal was outstanding and their late strike gave them renewed hope.

Adama Traore's lack of end product probably cost him a career at the very top level with Barcelona - and this would have been a different game had he managed to take his chances.

Fulham remain sixth in the table following only their second defeat of the season - and Silva will have seen plenty of reasons to be confident here.

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

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What did you make of Fulham’s display?, external

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

Follow reaction and read the match report

Chris Collinson
BBC Sport statistician

It has been a hectic start to the Premier League season with some clubs making a fast start while others are yet to get going.

But whose boots are made for walking the most so far?

Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa has walked the most after six games, just 0.1 km more than Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.

Interestingly, Haaland and Bournemouth striker Antoine Semenyo walk a lot despite being forwards.

Maybe the reason why Haaland has been able to establish himself as one of the fastest players and why Semenyo has made so many sprints is that they conserve their energy for the biggest moments where they can make the most impact.

Meanwhile, it is not just distance walked that we have tracked.

Wolves’ Matheus Cunha has spent more of his time on the pitch walking than any other player in the Premier League so far.

It is also interesting that both of Tottenham’s centre-backs spend so much of their time walking, given Spurs' high possession, high pressing, style of play.

This might mean Cristiano Romero and Micky van de Ven can conserve energy for when things get a bit chaotic (or they fancy a marauding run)?

This could especially be true for van de Ven who has been the fastest player in the competition so far.

Seven matches make up Saturday's Premier League action, and we will bring you every moment.

• Crystal Palace v Liverpool - 12:30

• Arsenal v Southampton

• Brentford v Wolves

• Leicester v Bournemouth

• Man City v Fulham (listen live on BBC Radio 5 Live)

• West Ham v Ipswich

• Everton v Newcastle - 17:30 (listen live on BBC Radio 5 Live)

Kick-off 15:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

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Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches this season, against a variety of guests.

For week seven, he takes on Will Champion and Jonny Buckland from Coldplay, whose latest album, Moon Music, came out on Friday.

Sutton's prediction: 3-0

I’ve got Fulham wrong a few times this season by underestimating them... I am still not going to back them to get anything at Etihad Stadium though.

Manchester City were not quite at it against Newcastle last weekend, whether that was down to Rodri's absence or not, and they will have to do better this time - which is what I am expecting to happen.

Fulham have got a nice balance to them, but can they keep City out? They lost this fixture 5-1 last season with Erling Haaland scoring a hat-trick and, while they might suffer less damage this time, I can still only see one outcome.

The big question, for me, is whether City keep a clean sheet. They have conceded in their past five league games, but based on the law of averages - so nothing scientific - I think that run will end here.

Will and Jonny's prediction: 3-1

Read the rest of their predictions, and have your own say here

Chris Collinson
BBC Sport statistician

There can often be a lot of focus on distances covered and sprints made by teams, but how much of a difference does it really make to their success?

When it comes to distance covered by teams it is the 'battle of the B's' with Bournemouth, Brighton and Brentford having covered the most ground in the Premier League so far this season.

At the other end of the scale, bottom side Wolves have run the least so far - 5km fewer than any other side.

Initially, I thought this could be due to how difficult their start has been (i.e. sitting deep and not rushing out against top opponents), but they actually rank mid-table in pressing stats (with no players missing via red cards either).

But, it is worth noting that running a lot does not necessarily equal success.

Nottingham Forest, Fulham, Chelsea and Aston Villa have also been the 'laziest' teams so far yet have started the season well.

It is a similar story when it comes to sprints too - some good teams sprint a lot, some good teams sprint little.

Tottenham have made the most sprints in the Premier League this campaign, followed by fellow high-pressers Liverpool and Bournemouth.

But defending champions Manchester City have made the least – 60 fewer than any other team – and yet they have been pretty good so far too.

Looking at which teams have made the most sprints – Spurs, Liverpool, Chelsea – and which the fewest – City, Arsenal, Villa – it suggests that playing style plays a part in how much a team sprints as well as just work rate.

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Only Dwight McNeil (21) has created more chances than Fulham’s Andreas Pereira in the Premier League this season (20).

Five of these chances have been for Rodrigo Muniz, who has had more shots on target without scoring so far than any other player in the Premier League this term.

Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

Fulham boss Marco Silva has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Manchester City (kick-off 15:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Silva confirmed Jorge Cuenca and Carlos Vinicius both remain out through injury, but all other players will be available.

• On the start to season after his manager of the month nomination: "Very much about the team more than about the individuals. It is a consequence of our performances and way we have been playing. Nothing changes... Nominations are not the main thing for us. The main picture for us is what we do as a football club, on and off the pitch, to make players feel comfortable to express themselves on and off the pitch."

• On forward Rodrigo Muniz: "The first game of the season, we started with Rodrigo because he finished so strong last season. The last four months for Rodrigo were top - we decided to start with him again."

• He added: "With his competition with Raul [Jimenez], [he] reacted very well, I have to say. He had some very good weeks, always knocking on the door and I told him - and even Rodrigo knows - it's not that Rodrigo lost his position. Raul earned the right to be there in the training sessions. We decided to change. Rodrigo now is showing his quality as well. Ready to go again."

• On player selection: "It's not just in that position [forwards]. Lucky for us we have some good examples. The right-back position is a fantastic example. I can mention others as well because many players are doing and showing a big battle with the others for the positions."

• The Fulham boss added: "You feel that you are never comfortable in your position because the others are there and if they get the chance then they can show themselves and perform in a way that they can keep their position. It's always good for me as a manager and the club. I think it's the best selection a manager can have in a football club."

• He said Emile Smith Rowe is "motivated" after not getting an England call-up: "Sometime ago he was there. One or two caps but he was there and felt the moment for sure. Competition is top in that position - what they have been doing in this position is so good. He has that goal and we are here to help him."

• On momentum after a first away win and fan support: "The trust in ourselves is important. The fans they have been with us. [It was] nice to give them what they deserve in the last away game... They are always with us, they have been incredible the last few seasons. What we can promise them is we are always going to give our maximum for the shirt and try to make them as proud as we can."

Catch up on all of Thursday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Drew Heatley
Fan writer

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It is a question that comes up at the same time every year: when is it sensible to start looking at the league table?

Many believe things begin to ‘shake out’ at around 10 games. But, as Fulham enjoy their best start to a Premier League season in 20 years, six games feels like a good place.

Roughly a sixth of the way through the campaign, and our win at the City Ground on Saturday takes us to 11 points – or about a quarter of the way to the magical 40-point mark that has historically meant safety.

That is the point Fulham should look towards – at least for now. I recall when Leicester won the Premier League in 2015-16, Claudio Ranieri (of course less popularly of this parish) would constantly reply when asked about the team’s potential: "We must reach 40 points first".

"We’re all going on a European tour" bellowed out from the away end at full-time on Saturday, and while we currently occupy sixth, we would be wise to not get too carried away.

However, there are plenty of reasons for optimism. We have become a solid defensive unit this term, led by Calvin Bassey and the returning Joachim Andersen in central defence. Our five goals against is the joint-second fewest in the league – and almost half of the nine we conceded two decades ago, when we most recently experienced such a strong start.

Back then, in 2003-04 we eventually finished ninth, our highest-ever placing at that point. Yet it was tinged with disappointment. We were fifth at Christmas but sold Louis Saha to Manchester United and missed his goals. One of the hallmarks of Marco Silva’s Fulham is the outfield 10 sharing the goalscoring burden. Five players have contributed to our eight scored so far this term.

If 38 games is the destination, it is a long way away – so why not enjoy the journey. After all, we’ve waited 20 years.

Find more from Drew Heatley at Fulhamish, external

Leicester defender Conor Coady believes Marco Silva is getting the best out of his Fulham side, as they sit sixth in the Premier League.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club, Coady said Fulham's transfer business of buying players with a point to prove has been key to their success.

Coady said: "I think it goes to show what sort of coach Marco Silva is, the job he's done there. I think they're fantastic - a really, really good side.

"This doesn't mean to sound bad, but they've got a real efficiency - they know what they're good at and they stick to it, they defend properly and they attack properly and they score great goals."

Coady played alongside Mexican striker Raul Jimenez at Wolves, and was quick to praise the 33-year-old, who has already scored three Premier League goals this season: "What he brings to a team is fantastic when he's on his game - it really is.

"He's a really all-round striker and [Marco Silva] seems to be getting the best out of that team at the minute."

Watch the full episode on BBC iPlayer or listen on BBC Sounds

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Nottingham Forest and Fulham.

Here are some of your comments:

Forest fans

Andrew: Forest certainly missed Gibbs-White today. Fulham deserved the three points. Forest huffed and puffed but Fulham were the better side on the day.

Luke: That’s probably our worst home performance under Nuno. Say what you want about the penalty appeals but we played so badly there’s no guarantee we’d have scored if we got one. Team selection baffles me slightly, I never like ending the 90 minutes with better players on the pitch than at the start.

Peter: Started with bad team selection. Sorry Wood and Awoniyi cannot play together with out the full on-wing support from Elanga and Hudson-Odoi. Then bringing on Elanga on his own was more of a mystery. The team were just totally disjointed and this was evident by their passing - it seemed like they did not really know where to go or who to pass it to.

Gary: If any Forest fan thinks that the jury is still out regarding how talented and how important Morgan Gibbs-White is to the club then today's stuttering performance should be evidence compelling enough to influence that jury, that we can't do without him.

Fulham fans

Mario: I feel that we seem to have one really great half and one really average half as Marco has eluded to. The players need to show the same level over the whole 90 minutes. However, despite the minor negative it’s still a fantastic win and one that is well deserved. Long may it continue.

Simon: It wasn’t necessarily pretty but a first clean sheet of the season and an away victory at a in form team is a good sign of progress. And I’m so glad we’ve got Marco Silva and not Nuno, because I couldn’t watch that type of football every week, even if it does keep Forest up.

Will: A very good win against a previously unbeaten side. Raul is continuing his fine form and this is our best start to a season in many a year, if we had not conceded those two late goals in earlier games, we would be first.

Luke: Glad we managed to hang on in the end. Few nervy moments but a good defensive performance. A game of few chances and could have gone either way. Great result for Fulham.

Highlights and analysis from Saturday's seven Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Arsenal 4-2 Leicester

• Wolves 1-2 Liverpool