Nothing to get for the Cottagers?
The only one of the 20 clubs in the Premier League, Manchester City managed the perfect start. Three games, three wins and 6:1 goals are on record for the Sky Blues, who thus occupy the place on the sunny side. If Manchester City can win at home against Fulham, Pep Guardiola’s team would surely go into the first international break at the top of the table.
Betting on a home win for the Sky Blues is very popular. Not only have City not lost any of their last 20 competitive games against the Cottagers (17 wins, three draws), but they have also won all of their last 14 competitive games in a row. The visitors from London, on the other hand, are winless in 30 Premier League games in Manchester (five draws, 25 defeats). Accordingly, the forecast for Manchester City against Fulham goes clearly to the victory of the home team.
It should be noted, however, that Manchester City has scored a maximum of one goal in three of the previous five competitive matches of the still young season. Also because Erling Haaland has been waiting for a goal in three home games, goal festivals have been absent recently. Accordingly, it is coherent to combine the bet on the home victory of the Sky Blues with the tip on under 4.5 goals to get the maximum value.
Moreover, more than four goals have only been scored in one of the last nine meetings between the two teams, when the Citizens prevailed 4-1 at home in the FA Cup in the 2021/22 season.
Manchester City – statistics & current form
Manchester City Football Club has dominated the league on and off over the past decade. However, the club, which was founded in 1880, did not hit the big time until the 2022/23 season, when, in addition to their ninth national championship and seventh FA Cup triumph, they also won the UEFA Champions League.
This flawless triple makes the flagship club from the northwest of England probably the best team in the world at the moment. However, this exceptional season also creates even greater expectations, which is why the 2023/24 season does not promise to be an easy one in terms of the omens alone.
Three games, three victories and 6:1 goals
So far, however, there has been little sign of pressure. City surprisingly lost out to Arsenal in the Community Shield and only won the UEFA Super Cup on penalties against Europa League winners Sevilla. In the Premier League, however, nothing was on fire.
Pep Guardiola’s team was the only first division club to win all three of its league games, and consequently sails from first place in the current table. If the Sky Blues win at home to Manchester City against Fulham, the reigning triple winners would certainly go into the international break at the top of the table.
Unbeaten in twelve home games against Fulham
At the same time, everything is basically in favor of the Citizens, who scored “only” two goals in their recent 2-1 win at Sheffield United despite conceding 30 shots in the end, but fought back after the Blades equalized to score the winner just three minutes after conceding the goal and two minutes before the end of regulation time.
The Sky Blues can go into the home game against the Cottagers suitably confident, having not lost a single of their last twelve home games (ten wins, two draws). They have conceded just two goals in 27 of their own matches.
Predicted Manchester City lineup:
Manchester City (Expected lineup) 4-2-3-1
Fulham – statistics & current form
Fulham FC finished tenth in the final table at the end of the 2022/23 season as a promoted team. The club from the west of London now wants to build on this highly respectable result in the new season.
Initially, the Cottagers got off to an excellent start when they recorded a 1-0 away win at Everton FC on matchday one. However, they picked up just one more point from their subsequent two league games against Brentford (0-3) and Arsenal (2-2).
During the week with a win against Tottenham in the EFL Cup
The Cottagers’ ability to win city derbies, meanwhile, was proven on Tuesday night in the EFL Cup when city rivals Tottenham Hotspur were knocked out of the competition on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regulation time.
Marco Silva’s team, who has lost all eight of his previous competitive games against the Sky Blues, will be looking to build on this success at the Etihad Stadium. However, the odds are clearly against the Londoners winning a point in the Manchester City vs. Fulham match, as they have lost all of their last 14 competitive games against the Citizens.
Sonly two sending offs in the first three matchdays
Lately, moreover, unusual indiscipline has been mixed into the capital’s play. With only 24 fouls committed, Fulham is actually the second-fairest team behind today’s opponent from the English northwest (City committed only 23 fouls in the first three games).
Nevertheless, there have already been two sending-offs against the Londoners – and thus after three matchdays already one more than in the entire 2022/23 season. The fact that central defender Calvin Bassey now has to serve the corresponding suspension at the Etihad Stadium makes this away trip even more difficult.
Predicted Fulham lineup:
Fulham (Expected lineup) 4-3-3
Manchester City – Fulham Direct comparison / H2H balance
Head to head: 39 – 16 – 17
There have been a total of 72 meetings between the two teams so far and with 39 wins Manchester City leads the direct comparison very clearly. Not only are the Sky Blues currently unbeaten in 20 competitive games against the Cottagers (17 wins, three draws), but they have won their last 14 games against Fulham FC without exception.
Manchester City – Fulham Tip
In complete unambiguity, the odds of the bookmakers beat Manchester City against Fulham in the direction of a home win for the reigning triple winners, who have remained unbeaten in 20 competitive games against the visitors from the nation’s capital (17 wins, three draws). The Sky Blues also have a dream start to their campaign. Guardiola’s team is the only team in the Premier League to have scored the maximum nine points. That compares with four points out of a possible nine for the Cottagers.
It should be noted, however, that despite games like the recent one at Sheffield, where City fired 30 shots, the Sky Blues have yet to celebrate a goal festival. It is therefore very promising to combine the prediction on the home victory of the defending champion with the bet on under 4.5 goals in Manchester City against Fulham.
