MATEO KOVACIC STAKED his claim to fill the void left by Rodri with two goals as Manchester City came from behind to beat Fulham 3-2.
The champions were stunned as Andreas Pereira fired Fulham ahead after 26 minutes of Saturday’s Premier League encounter at the Etihad Stadium and the visitors should have had more.
Past tormentor Adama Traore, scorer of three goals when Wolves did the double over City five seasons ago, was the guilty party, spurning a hatful of gilt-edged chances.
Kovacic, filling in for the injured Rodri, made them pay with a double either side of half-time and substitute Jeremy Doku secured victory with a stunning strike before a Rodrigo Muniz consolation.
Questions have been asked over how City will cope without the influential Rodri in midfield after the Spain international was ruled out for the rest of the season with a serious knee injury.
Yet whilst manager Pep Guardiola may have been concerned at how Fulham were able to take control for spells, in Kovacic they have an able deputy.
City started strongly with Ilkay Gundogan driving just wide and Erling Haaland shooting across the face of goal.
Haaland also had a free-kick blocked and then headed at Bernd Leno before City were caught napping on Fulham’s first attack as Traore broke away from Rico Lewis.
The Spaniard should have punished City but was denied by the feet of Ederson.
That prompted a response from City and Gundogan headed wide but the hosts again switched off in 26th minute and this time were made to pay.
City failed to deal with a deep cross from Antonee Robinson and the ball was worked inside to Raul Jimenez, whose clever backheel flick dropped perfectly for Pereira to volley home.
Fulham should have increased their lead moments later as Alex Iwobi teed up Traore but again the former Wolves man erred, scooping over the bar as Ederson closed in.
The Cottagers were to rue their misses as City began their fightback when Kovacic levelled just after the half-hour mark.
The Croatia midfielder drove in from the edge of the box, via a deflection off Joachim Anderson, after a corner fell to him invitingly.
City pushed on and Josko Gvardiol had a shot saved and Bernardo Silva missed the target but Kovacic put the champions ahead with an assured finish two minutes after the break.
Silva created the chance with a nice lay-off and Kovacic did the rest, beating Sander Berge with a nice touch and curling in a shot from 18 yards.
Any hopes City may have had of cruising to victory were misguided, however, as Fulham refused to throw in the towel.
Traore showed great pace to beat Kyle Walker, who was fresh off the substitutes’ bench, but once again his finishing let him down as Ederson smothered his shot. Jimenez also threatened but Gvardiol produced a fine challenge.
Doku appeared to settle the contest as he cut inside from the left and rattled a shot into the top corner but Fulham made City work until the end as Muniz turned to score with a deflected shot late on.
Written by Press Association and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.
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