Alvarez wonder strike fires City back on top of the Premier League

Erling Haaland had earlier registered the 50th goal of his own remarkable season by firing City ahead with a second minute penalty at Craven Cottage.

The Norwegian striker also moved level for most goals in a Premier League season - matching the 34 goals Andy Cole scored for Newcastle in 1993-94 and the same amount Alan Shearer registered for Blackburn a year later.

Though Carlos Vinicius then levelled affairs with a fine effort, a quite brilliant 36th minute goal from Argentine World Cup winner Alvarez ultimately proved the difference in west London.

Alvarez curled home a sublime 25-yard effort that flew into the top left-hand corner of the net to seal the deal.

It was an eighth straight league win for Pep Guardiola’s side and one that saw us leapfrog Arsenal and up into pole position for the first time in 10 weeks as we moved ahead by a point and with a game in hand.

What happened

City had come into the match brimming with confidence in the wake of our superb 4-1 win over Arsenal last Wednesday.

And within 90 seconds we had picked up where we left off in midweek by roaring into an early lead as Haaland chalked up yet another incredible record in a season littered with landmarks by registering his 50th goal of the campaign from the penalty spot.

The spot kick was awarded after Fulham skipper Tim Ream had upended Julian Alvarez in the penalty box – and Norwegian master marksman Haaland made no mistake from 12 yards, drilling home into the bottom corner to chalk up that iconic 50th strike.

However, after being dominated in terms of territory, possession and chances, out of nowhere Fulham then drew level through Vinicius on 15 minutes.

A long ball into the heart of the City defence found the unmarked Harry Wilson and from his cushioned header, Brazilian Vinicius lashed home from 15 yards to level affairs.

In a breathless first quarter, Jack Grealish then came within an ace of restoring City’s lead on 26 minutes, only to be denied by a combination of Fulham keeper Bernd Leno and the bar.

Latching onto an inviting Haaland assist, from 16 yards Grealish curled in a sublime effort which looked destined for goal only for Leno to acrobatically claw the effort onto the bar with an acrobatic, full-stretched leap.

City though were not to be denied and we regained our advantage in quite stunning style through Alvarez on 36 minutes.

After picking up the ball midway in the Fulham half, the Argentine World Cup winner took a couple of touches before unleashing a quite magnificent 25-yard shot which curled past Leno into the top left corner of the net.

It was his eighth league goal and 15th in total in his debut season at City – and was arguably the pick of the bunch both in execution and importance.

With City shifting up through the gears another superb passing sequence presented skipper Ilkay Gundogan with an opportunity to extend the lead on 42 minutes but this time a sprawling Leno diverted the effort wide.

More brilliance from Alvarez immediately after the restart saw Haaland come within an ace of adding to his and City’s tally.

The Argentine picked out his strike colleague with a glorious piece of skill and only another superb save from Leno, diving low to his right, kept out Haaland’s instinctive, fiercely struck shot.

Leno was then there again on 52 minutes, this time parrying away a powerful Alvarez shot as City sought to step up the pressure.

However on 64 minutes there was an almighty scare for City when Ederson came out to the edge of his box alongside Dias and tangled with Vinicius with Fulham appealing for a penalty.

Fortunately replays illustrated that the keeper had played the ball and not the man but it was a reminder that nothing could be taken for granted.

There was another huge home appeal for a penalty three minutes later when Kyle Walker tangled with Bobby Decordova-Reid in the box but again the Fulham pleas were waved away.

Fulham continued to press and make life difficult but City’s game management was sublime once more as we saw out another tough assignment in winning fashion.

It may not have garnered the same attention as that Arsenal victory but make no mistake, this win was just as valuable and important.

And the very stuff of what makes champions.

Teams

FULHAM: Leno, Tete, Ream (C) (Diop 19), Tosin, Robinson, Reed (Lukic 77), Palhinha, Andreas Cairney 58), Decordova-Reid (James 77), Vinicius, Wilson (Solomon 77).

Subs: Rodak, Duffy, Cedric, Kebano.

CITY: Ederson, Walker, Stones, Dias, Akanji, Rodrigo, Gundogan (c), Mahrez (Foden 82), Grealish, Alvarez (Bernardo 82), Haaland.

Subs: Ortega Moreno, Carson, Phillips, Laporte, Gomez, Perrone, Lewis.

Man of the match

With Kevin De Bruyne not fully fit, Pep Guardiola entrusted Julian Alvarez with a starting place – and once again the Argentine striker more than repaid the manager’s faith.

The footballing embodiment of the phrase perpetual motion, the Argentine striker brought his trademark application, hunger and work rate to the party at Craven Cottage with interest and proved a constant thorn in Fulham’s side all afternoon.

And his quite magnificent strike late in the first half once again illustrated Alvarez’s wonderful eye for goal – and supreme technique to boot.

It was goal of the highest quality and one worthy of the highest praise marrying vision, skill and execution to deadly effect.

What it means

An eighth successive Premier League victory saw City move back to the top of the Premier League table for the first time since April 17.

Pep Guardiola’s side are one point ahead of Arsenal, boast a superior goal difference and also still have a crucial game in hand on the Gunners.

Arsenal do have the opportunity to regain top spot on Tuesday evening when they play host to Chelsea.

But crucially City remain in control of our own title destiny – which is just the way we would have wanted things heading into May.

Pep Guardiola reaction

“I didn’t have any doubt. The game was so tight until the end, we could not expect anything differently.

“This amount of games is a lot but we knew that after we beat Arsenal at home that winning these types of games is really important. The players behaved amazingly.

“It’s important (going top) but on Tuesday Arsenal will play. The important thing is the West Ham game, it’s a game in hand. After that we’ll be top of the table and it will be more real.”

50 something

Erling Haaland continues to terrorise opposition defences – and rewrite the record books in the process.

The Norwegian striker’s second minute penalty at Craven Cottage saw him chalk up his 50th goal of this extraordinary debut season at City.

Remarkably, that is 21 more than any other player have accrued for Premier League clubs in 2022-23, and more than seven Premier League teams have netted in all competitions this term.

It also took Haaland’s tally of Premier League goals for the campaign to 34 – the same tally as Andy Cole, Alan Shearer and Mo Salah.

With at least nine more games in the offing for City across all competitions this term, who is to say where Haaland might eventually end up?

WATCH: Fulham 1-2 City: Brief highlights

Kyle Walker reaction

“It is always going to be a tough game after the emotions of Wednesday [against Arsenal].

“I think the form is so important. It has been good over the recent couple of months but we have so much football to be played and this form needs to continue.”

Julian Alvarez’s reaction

“It was a very important win for us today. Every game from here on out is a final. Especially after the win against Arsenal, we’ll be able to catch up. We need to keep this going

“It was really nice to score here, a really important goal at an important point of the match. Really nice to contribute.”

What’s next

City are back at the Etihad on Wednesday evening when we play host to West Ham United in our latest Premier League clash.

Kick-off for the visit of David Moyes’ men is slated for 8pm.

The fixture is the first in what will be a key month of May with a number of key league games as well as our Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.