Manchester City vs Fulham (Premier League): Match Preview, Team News, Head to Head, How To Watch

Manchester City’s dramatic 2-1 stoppage-time victory at Liverpool has cranked the pressure dial even higher in the title race, and Pep Guardiola’s side now return to the Etihad on Wednesday night aiming to keep pace with leaders Arsenal by dispatching Marco Silva’s Fulham. Kick-off is 19:30 (UK), with Paul Tierney—the referee who has overseen 28 City wins from 32 appointments—handling proceedings.

Team News Guardiola confirmed John Stones has returned to training but is unlikely to start, while Josko Gvardiol (leg fracture), Mateo Kovacic (heel surgery), Savinho and Jeremy Doku remain unavailable. Summer signing Abdukodir Khusanov, forced off with a head knock at Anfield, has been passed fit. Fulham travel without midfielders Sasa Lukic and captain Tom Cairney, yet former City winger Oscar Bobb is available to make his full debut for the Londoners after recovering from a long-term injury.

Form and Context City’s last-gasp win at Anfield cut Arsenal’s lead to six points and extended their own unbeaten league run. Fulham, by contrast, have lost three of their last five and sit 10th, three clear of 14th. Guardiola praised Silva as “one of the top, top, top managers I’ve faced,” but history offers the visitors little comfort: City have beaten Fulham 44 times in 77 meetings, are on a competition-record 19-game winning streak against the Cottagers, and have scored at least twice in each of the last 20 encounters. The Norwegian striker has seven goals and three assists in seven league appearances versus Fulham, and became the fastest player to 100 Premier League goals (111 games) in December’s 5-4 thriller at Craven Cottage.

Head-to-Head Highlights Since April 2009’s 3-1 Fulham win, City have not lost to the West Londoners. Guardiola boasts a 100% record against them, while Silva has lost all 13 of his top-flight meetings with the Citizens. Fulham’s last point against City came via a 2-2 draw way back in September 2011.

How to Watch UK viewers can catch the contest live on TNT Sports and Discovery+, with radio coverage on BBC Radio Manchester. US audiences stream on Peacock, and City Xtra will provide live updates across social platforms and cityxtra.co.uk.

With Arsenal facing Tottenham and Chelsea in the coming weeks, City have the clearest of briefings: win, keep winning, and let the gap at the summit shrink.

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