Manchester City’s millions have taken the Premier League by storm and their latest additions to their all-star team have inspired them to four wins out of four. Fulham, however, have failed to win one of their opening four fixtures, picking up two draws and two defeats.
The Cottagers have it all to do if they are to tame what looks to be a real title threat from Roberto Mancini’s men. Both clubs were in European action mid-week, City played their first ever Champions League match on Wednesday night against Napoli, drawing 1-1 in the process. Fulham started their Europa League campaign on Thursday at home to FC Twente, also with a 1-1 draw.
Although overshadowed by what was going on elsewhere in the transfer market, the new Fulham boss, Martin Jol, brought in eight new signings in the summer. The most notable of them being the Costa Rican forward, Bryan Ruiz, who failed to impress and keep up with the pace of the Premier League, in last week’s 1-1 draw at home to Blackburn. Former Liverpool defender, John Arne Risse, was brought in at left back from Roma, along with Czech defender Zdenek Grygera, on a free transfer from Juventus. Striker Orlando Sa and midfielder Pajtim Kasami also moved to Craven Cottage, adding to the ranks.
Fulham spent around £15million bringing in new players in the summer, whereas their opponents on Sunday spent more than double that on one player. City tallied up an incredible £72million strengthening their squad with six new players. Mancini brought in the likes of Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy from Arsenal, Montenegrin defender Stefan Savic, Owen Hargreaves joined on a surprise free transfer from the red half of Manchester and their biggest signing, Sergio Aguero signed from Atletico Madrid for £35million.
Where Fulham were held to a draw in their last game, City’s new boy, Aguero, put three past Wigan to earn his team a comfortable 3-0 win, which could easily have been more. The Argentinean needed no time to settle in to the fast pace of the premier league, unlike Ruiz of Fulham, and has scored six goals in his first four league appearances. The link up play between Aguero and David Silva, who has been vital for City this season and last, is a joy to behold, fascinating for the neutral, but if you’re playing against them, it’s frightening. Add Samir Nasri, the ever improving Edin Dzeko and the now somewhat overshadowed figure of Carlos Tevez to the equation and you have yourself the perfect recipe for tantalising football.
City’s current form will be enough to think about for Fulham, however, to add further worry, the Citizens have lost only one in 10 of their last visits against a London side. Fulham’s home form is a record to be proud of, only losing one of their last 11 games at Craven Cottage. There has been a goal in every one of the last 14 games between these two teams and neither side has kept a clean sheet in them, so with that stat and the Blues lethal form, we might be in for a treat.
Predicted Line-ups:
Fulham: 1 Schwarzer, 3 JA Risse, 5 Hangeland, 14 Senderos, 18 Hughes, 4 Sidwell, 13 Murphy, 16 Duff, 23 Dempsey, 11 Ruiz, 25 Zamora
Subs: 38 Etherridge, 2 Kelly, 26 Grygera, 10 Kasami, 15 Gecov, 8 Johnson, 30 Dembele
Man City: 25 Hart, 4 Kompany, 2 Richards, 6 Lescott, 22 Clichy, 18 Barry, 19 Nasri, 21 Silva, 42 Y Toure, 10 Dzeko, 16 Aguero
Subs: 30 Pantilimon, 5 Zabaleta, 15 Savic, 7 Milner, 11 Johnson, 32 Tevez, 45 Balotelli
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