Haaland Hits Premier League Century as Man City Survive Fulham Fightback

Haaland Hits Century as Man City Edge Fulham Thriller

Manchester City kept the pressure firmly on Arsenal with a gripping 5-4 win at Craven Cottage, a night defined by elite finishing, defensive jitters and another historic milestone for Erling Haaland. Fulham threatened to tear up the script late on, pushing City harder than almost any opponent this season.

Haaland’s Landmark and City’s Clinical Edge

The Norwegian forward reached 100 Premier League goals in just 111 appearances, smashing the previous benchmark set by Alan Shearer. His landmark moment arrived after 17 minutes when he swept in first time from Jeremy Doku’s cross. It also ended a rare quiet spell, with Haaland having gone three games without scoring.

City’s dominance flowed from that point. Haaland turned creator for the second, threading through Tijjani Reijnders who calmly lifted his finish beyond Bernd Leno. Phil Foden, fresh from a late winner against Leeds, added the third and again demonstrated razor sharp instincts throughout the night.

Fulham Fightback Lights Up Craven Cottage

What looked like a routine away win at 3-1 transformed into something far more breathless. Doku’s strike deflecting in off Sander Berge pushed City into a 5-1 lead, yet Fulham refused to fold. Alex Iwobi curled in a superb 20 yard effort before substitute Samuel Chukwueze took over with two clinical finishes that had home supporters dreaming.

He scored off a cross for his first, then placed a composed second that brought the stadium alive. Josh King almost forced an extraordinary equaliser in stoppage time, only to be denied by a goal line clearance. Though Fulham fell short, they have now scored six goals across their meetings with Tottenham and Man City, a sign of their growing attacking belief.

City’s Title Push Remains On, Concerns Remain Too

Pep Guardiola’s side stay within two points of Arsenal, although they have played a game more. Their ruthless finishing, with four goals from their first four shots on target, will trouble Mikel Arteta. Haaland and Foden repeatedly stretched Fulham and both struck the woodwork.

Yet City’s defensive record remains an issue. Conceding four has taken them to 16 goals conceded in 14 matches, while Arsenal have let in just seven in 13. For all the attacking fluency, Guardiola will know that tightening up remains essential in the title chase.

Fulham Take Heart Despite Result

Marco Silva’s side have not taken a point off City since a 2-2 draw in 2011, but this performance offered real encouragement. Chukwueze’s impact showed the value of energy and directness, and Fulham fans departed knowing their team pushed the champions to the limit. Six points clear of the relegation line, they may have lost, but their resilience stood out in a game full of drama.