Manchester City V Fulham: Game Recap

Manchester City took on Fulham at Craven Cottage Saturday in what was a thrilling and wide-open game for the neutral football fan.  

City continued their scoring prowess, passing 50 goals on the season, and the match also saw Joe Hart's return to the net in the premiership. 

The first half in London was very appealing for the neutral.  Fulham came out flying, taking the game to City.  Joe Hart's return to the Premier League saw him busy early, making two incredible saves from low hard shots.  

Despite Fulham's dominance and City's lack of chances, the few that were created proved costly for Fulham.  It took 15 minutes for City to earn their first chance—the result was a thunderous shot off the crossbar from David Silva.  

In the 23', Silva was taken down by Sidwell.  The result was a beautiful free-kick goal from the big Ivorian, Yaya Toure. 

The two teams continued to trade chances in a thrilling first half.  City's second goal came again from a dead ball situation.  A Silva ball towards the back post was headed down by Demichelis, and after a brief scramble, the ball was stabbed into the back of the net by captain Vincent Kompany. 

Fulham were unlucky to go into half down two goals.

The second half was just as thrilling as the first.  City came out of the gates dominating possession, looking to take a stranglehold on the game. However, Fulham countered quickly in the 50' with a goal from Kieran Richardson.

Fulham continued to press after the lift from the goal and again the game broke open.  Fulham leveled in the 69' on a scrambled own goal from Vincent Kompany.  With the game level, City upped the tempo, bringing Jesus Navas off the bench.

The swap paid dividends for the Blues: In the 78', Silva set Navas free on goal where he finished sublimely through the legs of Stekelenburg, putting City up 3-2.

City would finish the scoring in the 83' from a beautiful goal from another substitute, James Milner.  Negredo found Milner with a beautiful pass from the outside of his boot, putting Milner free on goal.

In the end City held on in a very entertaining game in West London.  The win put City into second, at least for now, with Arsenal and Chelsea to play Monday.  

City continued their scoring form and earned a hard-fought three points away from home.  Goalkeeper Joe Hart had a fabulous first half and looks ready to earn back his place in the starting XI. 

Fulham 01 Stekelenburg 27 Riether 03 Riise 14 Karagounis Booked (Bent - 82' ) 04 Senderos (Amorebieta - 37' ) 18 Hughes 28 Parker 07 Sidwell 19 Taarabt 24 Dejagah (Kasami - 65' ) 15 Richardson Substitutes 08 Kasami 10 Ruiz 11 Kacaniklic 13 Stockdale 16 Duff 35 Amorebieta 39 Bent

Manchester City 01 Hart 22 Clichy 13 Kolarov 25 Fernandinho 04 Kompany 26 Demichelis Booked 08 Nasri (Milner - 75' ) 42 Yaya Touré 09 Negredo 10 Dzeko (Jesús Navas - 58' ) 21 Silva (Javi García - 84' ) Substitutes 07 Milner 14 Javi García 15 Jesús Navas 17 Rodwell 30 Pantilimon 38 Boyata 60 Guidetti