Five things to look out for – Manchester City vs Fulham

Manchester Metropolis return to the Etihad Stadium as they host Fulham within the Premier League.

Pep Guardiola’s aspect are available in off the again of a chaotic victory in opposition to Liverpool, the place Erling Haaland grabbed Metropolis a final ditch winner from the penalty spot.

The reverse fixture at Craven Cottage was equally as entertaining, as Fulham fought again to solely lose 5-4 to a Metropolis aspect that had been 5-1 up and cruising.

Listed below are 5 issues to look out for as Metropolis welcome Fulham to east Manchester:

It’ll be good to see Oscar Bobb return to the Etihad Stadium just some weeks after departing for Fulham.

The Norwegian winger simply didn’t kick on after his harm, and located himself behind Phil Foden, Rayan Cherki, Antoine Semenyo, Jeremy Doku, Savinho and Omar Marmoush within the pecking order.

He sealed a £27 million transfer to Fulham on the finish of the window, and he may make his first begin for Marco Silva’s staff on Wednesday night.

Bobb is a particularly technical, proficient particular person who works arduous off the ball and has a great angle.

Nonetheless, it seems from Guardiola’s feedback that he feels the 22-year-old lacks self-worth, notably following his harm, so wanted to depart for the beneficiary of his profession.

It’ll be good to welcome him dwelling, however Metropolis’s defenders can be conscious that he’s a top quality footballer who may cause them issues in the event that they don’t handle him effectively.

Lastly again from harm – in the meanwhile at the least – is John Stones.

Metropolis’s quantity 5 is getting into the ultimate few months of his contract, and it’s impossible that his deal can be renewed because of the variety of centre backs on the membership and the accidents he’s suffered for the reason that treble.

The 31-year-old is without doubt one of the greatest centre backs on this planet on his day, however innocuous accidents carry on getting the higher of him and leaving him sidelined for months.

His final look was, actually, the reverse fixture greater than two months in the past, the place he got here on and struggled in holding midfield.

He’s been an amazing servant for Metropolis and is able to return to the matchday squad, as he’s set to make his ultimate few appearances after practically ten years in a Metropolis shirt.

Cherki and Reijnders beginning as tens

Each of those two have been in respectable type of late, and will come into the staff having been benched in opposition to Liverpool.

Cherki got here on and maybe ought to’ve scored, had it not been for a VAR intervention that adjudged Haaland fouled Dominik Szoboszlai within the construct up having simply been fouled himself.

Tijjani Reijnders, in the meantime, loved most likely his greatest recreation since his Premier League debut in opposition to Wolves in August in opposition to Newcastle United within the Carabao Cup semi ultimate second leg.

The Dutchman ran the present in midfield and performed a task in all three objectives, scoring the third one himself after carrying the ball up the pitch on the counter and finally dispatching a unfastened ball into the again of the web.

Each have plenty of room to enhance however have additionally confirmed to be efficient buys to date for Metropolis, and I’d wish to see them each begin in opposition to Fulham.

Metropolis’s quantity 9 can be flowing with confidence after his final minute aim gained the sport at Anfield.

Haaland hasn’t had an excellent run of type since Christmas, however he’s bought three aim contributions in his final two begins and general regarded a lot sharper within the final 20 minutes of the Newcastle and Liverpool video games.

He’s the very best striker on this planet on his day and arguably the very best goalscorer the Premier League has ever seen, so you may’t again in opposition to him discovering the again of the web in opposition to Fulham, who he enjoys an excellent file in opposition to with 10 aim contributions in seven video games.

Metropolis’s dwelling type has remained glorious even throughout their latest inconsistent run.

They haven’t misplaced on the Etihad since August, and have gained their final 4 matches there in all competitions.

Fulham are a great staff with glorious attackers that may damage Metropolis, as they demonstrated in December, but when Metropolis are on their recreation they need to cruise to victory forward of the FA Cup on Saturday.