Mateo Kovacic at the double as Manchester City come from behind against Fulham.
Mateo Kovacic staked his claim to fill the void left by Rodri with two goals as Manchester City came from behind to beat Fulham 3-2.
The champions were stun as Andreas Pereira fired Fulham ahead. After 26 minutes of Saturday’s Premier League encounter at the Etihad Stadium and the visitors should have had more.
Past tormentor Adama Traore, scorer of three goals when Wolves did the double over City five seasons ago, was the guilty party, spurning a hatful of gilt-edged chances.
Kovacic, filling in for the injured Rodri, made them pay with a double either side of half-time and substitute Jeremy Doku secured victory with a stunning strike before a Rodrigo Muniz consolation.
Questions have ask over how City will cope without the influential Rodri in midfield after the Spain international was rule out for the rest of the season with a serious knee injury.
Yet whilst manager Pep Guardiola may have been concerned at how Fulham were able to take control for spells, in Kovacic they have an able deputy.
City started strongly with Ilkay Gundogan driving just wide and Erling Haaland shooting across the face of goal.
Haaland also had a free-kick block ufabet https://ufabet999.app and then head at Bernd Leno. Before City were caught napping on Fulham’s first attack. Traore broke away from Rico Lewis.
The Spaniard should have punished City but was denied by the feet of Ederson.
That prompted a response from City and Gundogan headed wide. But the hosts again switch off in 26th minute. This time were to pay.
City failed to deal with a deep cross from Antonee Robinson and the ball was work inside to Raul Jimenez, whose clever backheel flick drop perfectly for Pereira to volley home.
Fulham should have increased their lead moments later as Alex Iwobi teed up Traore but again the former Wolves man erred, scooping over the bar as Ederson closed in.
The Cottagers were to rue their misses as City began their fightback when Kovacic levelled just after the half-hour mark.