5th October, 2024
Fulham struck first in the 26th minute when Andreas Pereira clinically finished from inside the box, giving the visitors a surprising 1-0 lead.
Moments earlier, Ilkay Gundogan had missed a golden chance to put City ahead, heading wide from Bernardo Silva’s cross.
City responded quickly, equalising in the 32nd minute through Kovacic. The Croatian midfielder capitalised on a deflection to slot the ball past Fulham’s goalkeeper Bernd Leno, bringing the score to 1-1.
Shortly after halftime, Kovacic found the back of the net again, this time with a superb strike from the edge of the box. His effort flew into the left corner, giving City a 2-1 lead and sending the home crowd into a frenzy.
City’s dominance continued as Jeremy Doku added a third in the 82nd minute. Weaving through Fulham’s defence, Doku unleashed a shot from the edge of the box that flew into the roof of the net, extending City’s lead to 3-1.
However, Fulham refused to back down. In the 89th minute, Rodrigo Muniz pulled one back for the visitors, calmly slotting Reiss Nelson’s layoff into the left side of the goal. Despite the late drama, City held on to secure the 3-2 win.
The match showcased City’s attacking prowess and Kovacic’s growing influence, but Fulham’s resilience made it a thrilling contest until the final whistle.