Riyad Mahrez scored twice as Manchester City thrashed Fulham 4-1 in the FA Cup, showing neighbours United how it should be done.
This meeting of the Premier League leaders and Championship pace-setters followed on from Manchester United’s shock Old Trafford defeat to second-tier Middlesbrough on Friday night.
United spurned a host of chances in that game, but City here were ruthless, with goals from Ilkay Gundogan, John Stones and Mahrez putting paid to Fulham’s hopes of an upset.
City march through to the fifth round, chasing a first appearance in the final since 2019, the year they scored a crushing 6-0 Wembley win against Watford to seal a domestic treble.
Fabio Carvalho, who nearly signed for Liverpool last week, gave Fulham a shock fourth-minute lead at the Etihad Stadium, turning in Harry Wilson’s right-wing cross.
But City were level two minutes later, Gundogan finding the bottom left corner from 10 yards after the ball pinged around the Fulham penalty area.
Stones headed in a corner from Kevin De Bruyne to nudge City in front and they remained ahead at the break, with Aleksandar Mitrovic firing just wide for the lively visitors.
Jack Grealish went dancing through the Fulham defence early in the second half and was rewarded with a penalty as Joe Bryan scythed him down. Mahrez, back from a disappointing Africa Cup of Nations with Algeria, smashed the spot-kick into the right corner.
Mahrez’s second arrived in the 57th minute, after De Bruyne seized on a stray pass from Fulham’s Harrison Reed and sprinted down the left before sliding a pass across goal. The winger’s shot took a touch off Tim Ream before nestling in the back of the net.
Little went right for Fulham, who might count this as a reality check.
FULL TIME | We’re in the hat for the next round!
4-1 #ManCity pic.twitter.com/pwWKJn73sf
— Manchester City (@ManCity) February 5, 2022
What does it mean?
City up for the cup City boss Pep Guardiola flattered Fulham ahead of this game, praising the work of opposite number Marco Silva and saying: “It is not just the goals – it’s the way they are playing. Positionally they are exceptional.”
Here, though, was a reminder that the Premier League and Championship are a world apart, with City recovering from the jolt of an early goal to lead before the quarter-hour mark arrived. The quick feet of Grealish, Mahrez and De Bruyne then bamboozled Fulham, and it felt all too familiar.
Fulham fall at the fourth again
Fulham have now failed to progress to the fifth round on seven of the last eight occasions they have played in round four. The exception came in 2016-17 when they beat Hull City but went on to lose to Tottenham in the next round. The ongoing dismal run follows a strikingly different sequence of Fulham progressing from 10 straight fourth-round ties between 1998-99 and 2010-11.
City won 4-0 when these teams met at the same fourth-round stage two years ago, and Saturday’s result means the victors have extended their winning run against the Cottagers to 12 games.
Big three kill Cottagers’ dreams
Grealish, Mahrez and De Bruyne were hauled off by Guardiola once this game was safely won, and so too the ever busy Phil Foden, each given a rest ahead of the Premier League tests that await City.
Between them, Grealish, Mahrez and De Bruyne totted up eight shots and nine key passes. Five of those passes came from De Bruyne, who had two assists. Liam Delap had a late header chalked off for offside, as even City’s substitutes looked to get in on the act.
What’s next?
The Premier League resumes in midweek, after a short break, and City welcome Brentford to the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday. Fulham continue their promotion push when they tackle Millwall at Craven Cottage in the Championship on Tuesday.
