Fulham 1, Man City 5.
As the champions thrashed Fulham, Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick.
Tim Ream leveled the score shortly after Julian Alvarez gave Manchester City the lead just after the hour mark.
But just before halftime, Nathan Ake’s controversial goal gave City the lead again, and in the second half, Haaland put Fulham out of commission.
Ake was a former Chelsea defender.
When Haaland shot through Issa Diop’s legs, Fulham’s strong defense was broken, and Alverez was there to score with a straightforward first-time finish, they were left helpless.
Raul Jimenez’s attempt from Harry Wilson’s corner was parried by goalkeeper Edersen, but the Whites quickly responded with a goal from Ream who scored close range.
Fulham furiously argued that Manuel Akanji, who was in an offside position, was clearly in goalkeeper Bernd Leno’s line of sight and thus interfering with play when teammate Ake’s header from Phil Foden’s corner went through his legs and into the net.
Nevertheless, the goal was left standing.
The situation got worse for the visitors on minute 58 when Haaland finished forcefully after being set up by Alverez’s flick.
After Alverez was fouled by Diop, Haaland scored the game’s final goal from the penalty spot.
In the extra period, he struck once more, this time after Sergio Gomez had set him up.
Fulham’s starting lineup is as follows: Leno, Tete (Castagne 73), Diop, Ream, Robinson, Reed, Pereira, Wilson (Traore 81), Cairney (Harris 16), De Cordova-Reid (Willian 73), and Jimenez (Muniz 81).
Not used as substitutes: Rodak, Bassey, Vinicius, and Francois.
Also read…
Mike Dean claims that during Man City vs. Fulham, officials made a significant VAR error.
The defending Premier League champions have three straight victories to start the season, but were the referees in their favor when they scored the contentious second goal against Fulham on Saturday?
Former Premier League official Mike Dean insisted that Manchester City’s contentious winning goal against Fulham on Saturday should NOT have stood.
Nathan Ake’s header gave the champions the lead with five minutes remaining in the first half at the Etihad, where the game was closely contested at 1-1
In spite of Cottagers goalkeeper Bernd Leno’s desperation dive, the Dutchman’s effort found the bottom corner. But as City players ran off to celebrate, the visitors, who had originally claimed offside, immediately complained to match official Michael Oliver.
Phil Foden’s outswinging corner was the source of Ake’s header from 12 yards out, and by the time the ball reached the adaptable defender, Fulham’s defenders had cleared the six-yard box.
As a result, Manuel Akanji was forced to stand in an offside position, forcing the Swiss to jump over Ake’s shot as it traveled toward the bottom corner.
Nathan Ake moves in the direction of the objective.
The ball moved toward defeating Bernd Leno, forcing Manuel Akanji to leap over it.
The goal was awarded after a VAR review.
And former referee Dean, a former VAR official who now works for Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday, immediately criticized that choice.
“In my view, it simply cannot stand.
He must be interfering since he jumped over the ball. Leno is hesitant because the player is present.
“.Simply put, it must be forbidden.”.
Michael Dawson continued, “Leno takes an additional step because he anticipates Akanji will make an additional touch.”.
I’m surprised it hasn’t been called for an offside, said Shay Given, a former City goalkeeper.
The goalkeeper sees Akanji clearly in his field of vision, jumps out of the way, and Leno waits before reacting after Akanji has passed.
So you can’t tell me that he isn’t obstructing the goalkeeper’s line.
For fear that Akanji will touch the ball, he must wait.”.
The rules of the game, however, state that interference is only illegal when someone is “clearly attempting to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent.”.
The laws state that the match officials made the correct decision in this instance if Akanji was attempting to move out of the way of Ake’s header while aware that he was in an offside position.
You simply have to admit that the law is an ass at times.
Before Erling Haaland made it 3-1 for the hosts just before the hour, Tim Ream had earlier cancelled out Julian Alvarez’s 31st-minute goal. The giant Norwegian scored from the spot in the 70th minute to give City its fourth goal of the day and give him five league goals for the year.
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