Manchester City 4, Fulham 0 (FA Cup 4th Round)
Fulham lost their captain Tim Ream to a red card after 6 minutes, conceded a penalty, and handed the FA Cup tie to Manchester City in the second half after gifting Gabriel Jesus two goals.
Embed from Getty ImagesIt took just 6 minutes for Manchester City to address the penalty conundrum after recent high profile spot kick misses have cost them goals and points this season.
It was Ilkay Gundogan who stepped up after Gabriel Jesus was hauled down by Fulham captain Tim Ream who was sent off after just 6 minutes.
The German made no mistake from the spot, sending it to the left beyond the diving Marek Rodak.
It was to be a long afternoon for 10-man Chances for Foden and Angelino came and went but City soon had their second when Foden slipped in Bernardo Silva who twisted, turned, and then sent a precision strike between defenders and inside the near post after 19 minutes.
Raheem Sterling replaced Mahrez during the second half and hit the crossbar with a rasper after David Silva had put him through following a poor goal kick by Marek Rodak.
Fulham could not hold on though, and Gabriel Jesus had to wait for VAR confirmation after heading home Joao Cancelo’s deep cross in the 72nd minute before heading into an empty net after Marek Rodak had parried Phil Foden’s shot 3 minutes later.
Joe Bryan had been lectured for a cynical tackle on Mahrez which left the Algerian clutching his knee in the first half.
Bryan was only booked in injury time for a dangerous clip on Cancelo’s foot which left the Portuguese fuming.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester City 4, Fulham 0 (FA Cup 4th Round)
Claudio Bravo: 6. Little to do.
Joao Cancelo: 7. Tested Fulham with a couple of long range chances. Great cross for Jesus goal and some confident tackling too.
Eric Garcia: 6. Not much defending to do.
Nicolas Otamendi: 6. Had more to do in the opposition box from set pieces.
Angelino: 7. Room to cross and had a go himself. Diligent in defence too on rare occasions that Fulham ventured forward.
Ilkay Gundogan: 8. City’s new penalty taker, without Aguero on the anyway, put Gabriel Jesus clean through with a delicious pass and got to take the spot kick after Jesus was hauled down by Tim Ream.
Phil Foden: 7. Playing high up the left flank, he missed a couple long range efforts but set up Bernardo Silva for a dazzling goal and also Gabriel Jesus after his shot was parried.
David Silva: 8. Given plenty of space to play and made some great passes. Created a great chance for Riyad Mahrez.
Riyad Mahrez: 7. Couple of shots saved. Some great balls into the box too and one deeper cross for Phil Foden which he sliced. Took a knock to the knee from Joe Bryan. Blazed over when he got a chance to score.
Bernardo Silva: 8. Sat deeper alongside Ilkay Gundogan. Twisted and turned to bamboozle 3 Fulham defenders and pinpoint a ball inside the near post from 20 yards out.
Gabriel Jesus: 8. Won the penalty but didn’t get to take it. Dawdled in front of goal when clean through and allowed Terence Kongolo to get a tackle in. Snapped up 2 late goals though – heading home Joao Cancelo’s cross and heading in a parried chance from Phil Foden.
Raheem Sterling (on for Riyad Mahrez, 53): 6. Hit the woodwork after a great chance created by David Silva following a poor goal clearance.
John Stones (on for Nicolas Otamendi, 74): 6. Game was already won.
Rodrigo (on for Ilkay Gundogan, 75): 6. Came on with the game won.
GOALS – Manchester City 4, Fulham 0 (FA Cup 4th Round)
Man City 1, Fulham 0: 8. Ilkay Gundogan confidently stroked a spot kick home to the left after Gabriel Jesus was hauled back by Tim Ream after being sent clear by the German with an incisive pass.
Man City 2, Fulham 0: 19. Phil Foden slid in Bernardo Silva whose tricks and turns bamboozled 3 Fulham defenders before he turned again and threaded the ball inside the near post from 20 yards out
Man City 3, Fulham 0: 72. Gabriel Jesus downward header beat Marek Rodak after a Joao Cancelo deep cross into the box
Man City 4, Fulham 0: 75. Gabriel Jesus was on the spot to tap in the rebound from 6 yards out after Phil Foden’s left footed effort was parried by Rodak
MATCH STATS – Manchester City 4, Fulham 0 (FA Cup 4th Round)
Man City: Bravo, Cancelo, Garcia, Otamendi (Stones 74), Angelino, Gundogan (Rodrigo 75), Foden, David Silva, Mahrez (Sterling 53), Bernardo Silva, Jesus
Man City Subs not used: Ederson, Aguero, Zinchenko, De Bruyne
Goals: Gundogan pen 8; Bernardo Silva 19; Jesus 72, 75
Fulham: Rodak, Kongolo (Jasper 83), Hector, Ream, Bryan, Steven Sessegnon, Johansen, Christie, Cavaliero (Cairney 67), Decordova-Reid (Odoi 79), Onomah
Fulham Subs not used: Bettinelli, McDonald, De La Torre, Stansfield
Booked: Bryan 90+2 (trod on Joao Cancelo’s foot)
Red Card: Ream 6 (pulling back Gabriel Jesus in the penalty area)
Referee: Kevin Friend