Man City Player Ratings: Fulham Frustrate, Haaland Silent
Manchester City's perfect start to the season hit a snag at Craven Cottage, as they were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by a well-organized Fulham side. While the Citizens dominated possession and created chances, they lacked the cutting edge to break down the resilient Cottagers.
Here's a look at the Man City players' performances:
Ederson (7/10): A relatively quiet afternoon for the Brazilian goalkeeper, who was rarely troubled by the Fulham attack. Made a crucial save in the second half to deny Carlos Vinicius.
Kyle Walker (7/10): Solid as ever defensively, providing his usual overlapping runs and pinpoint crosses down the right flank. His pace and experience proved invaluable in containing Fulham's counter-attacks.
Ruben Dias (7/10): A commanding presence at the heart of the City defense. Won most of his aerial duels and was composed in possession, seamlessly orchestrating the backline.
John Stones (7/10): Similarly impressive alongside Dias, Stones showed excellent positional awareness and was quick to snuff out danger. His composure on the ball was evident as he played several key passes out of defense.
Nathan Aké (6/10): A solid performance from the left-back, who contributed offensively with some dangerous crosses. However, he lacked the usual penetration we expect from him, struggling to find the final ball in the attacking third.
Rodri (7/10): The midfield maestro was his usual dominant self, shielding the defense with his physicality and distributing the ball effectively. Controlled the tempo of the game and won numerous tackles in the middle of the park.
Kevin De Bruyne (6/10): Despite creating a couple of dangerous chances, De Bruyne lacked his usual sharpness and creativity. He struggled to influence the game in the final third, often getting crowded out by the Fulham midfield.
Phil Foden (6/10): Showed glimpses of his brilliance with some neat footwork and clever runs, but couldn't find the back of the net. He was constantly looking for the ball and was a threat with his directness.
Bernardo Silva (6/10): An energetic performance from the Portuguese midfielder, who tirelessly worked the flanks. His link-up play with De Bruyne and Foden was promising, but ultimately lacked the cutting edge to break down the Fulham defense.
Erling Haaland (5/10): A quiet afternoon for the Norwegian striker, who was expertly marked by Fulham's central defenders. He had a couple of chances, but lacked his usual clinical finishing.
Substitutes:
Julian Alvarez (6/10): Brought some much-needed energy to the attack after coming on. He was unlucky not to score with a shot that narrowly missed the target.
Jack Grealish (6/10): Added some creativity to the final third with his clever dribbling and passes. He had a couple of shots saved by the Fulham goalkeeper.
Overall:
Manchester City will be disappointed not to have picked up all three points against a stubborn Fulham side. However, their performance was ultimately frustrating rather than disastrous. They showed a lack of cutting edge in the final third, which will be a concern going forward.
The next few weeks will be crucial for City as they aim to bounce back from this setback and maintain their title challenge.
