🔊 Will Manchester City secure a spot in the Champions League by the end of the Premier League season? A victory would guarantee it. However, under certain scenarios, a draw or even a loss might suffice. Fulham, stuck in mid-table, aren't contending for anything significant. With a lack of motivation, they appear as the underdogs in this clash at London's Craven Cottage. Nonetheless, we will explore various scenarios to make an insightful prediction.

Head-to-Head

📊 Over the course of 33 head-to-head matches, Manchester City have the edge with a 67 percent win rate. In the first round of this season's campaign, the "Citizens" also claimed three points with a 3-2 victory. Fulham struck first in that game and set the final score while trailing by two goals. Despite not creating many chances against Ederson, their opportunities were even more threatening. Thus, City had a stroke of luck in securing those three points.

Fulham have failed to earn any points in 17 consecutive head-to-head encounters. Given the competitive motivation, it might be wise to consider betting on a Manchester City victory.

Fulham Team Overview

⚪ Fulham may not boast the most star-studded lineup, but Marco Silva has elevated them to a level where they are no longer fighting for survival and have established themselves as solid mid-table contenders. His impressive work has caught the attention of various clubs, including Tottenham. It's possible that the Portuguese manager might switch to another London club next summer, especially since their recent results have been dominated by losses.

🔗 Nonetheless, in the last round, Fulham managed to defeat Brentford away from home. The intrigue could have faded by halftime if the Bees had converted their penalty. However, even without that, they secured victory in that period. It's not accurate to say the Cottagers seized control in the second half, yet they managed to score two goals out of almost nothing (3-2).

❗ A few years back, Raul Jimenez suffered a head injury that seemed to prevent him from returning to his previous form. However, this season he has impressed, netting 12 goals in the Premier League, just five fewer than he scored over the past four seasons combined, including his time with Wolverhampton. The Mexican striker has found the net in two consecutive matches. In the clash against Brentford, he opened the scoring and earned a match rating of 8.0, making him the standout player of the game.

Manchester City Team Overview

⚪ May has not been kind to Manchester City. First, they failed to defeat Southampton, casting doubt on their Champions League spot for next season. Then, over the weekend, they missed out on silverware, losing to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final (0-1), a rare occurrence under Pep Guardiola.

🔗 The situation could have been dire if they hadn't managed to beat Bournemouth in their rescheduled Matchday 37 fixture on Tuesday (3-1). Omar Marmoush, who became the FA Cup's anti-hero by missing a penalty in the final, opened the scoring in the 14th minute. Bernardo Silva doubled the Citizens' lead before halftime. In the second half, Mateo Kovacic received a red card for stopping a dangerous Bournemouth attack. Although the scoreline changed, the margin remained the same (3-1).

❗ One of Manchester City's standout performers this spring has been Bernardo Silva. He has shown consistency, earning a rating of at least 7.0 in his last five Premier League matches. Pep Guardiola values the Portuguese player's versatility, having deployed him in six different positions this season, though Silva naturally gravitates towards the right flank in attack. This Premier League season, he has four goals and four assists, numbers that don't fully capture his true impact on the team. In the last match against Bournemouth, Silva scored and was named Man of the Match.

Latest news

Fulham

🎙 Raul Jimenez shared how they managed to defeat Brentford in the derby: “I think this season we are the team that scores the most goals from the bench, so it's really important—not only the starting lineup is focused on the game, but also the guys coming off the bench are concentrated on what they can do, and they changed the match.”

📝 Fulham have announced contract extensions for wingers Harry Wilson, Adama Traore, and forward Raul Jimenez, though only until June 2026.

❌ Fulham have been without Reiss Nelson and Rodrigo Muniz for some time. Added to the injury list are Timothy Castagne and Harrison Reed, who have missed two matches each.

Manchester City

🎙 Kevin De Bruyne played his final home match for Manchester City and bid farewell to the fans: “This team is committed to winning and entertaining the crowd. Everyone here works incredibly hard both on and off the field. In the future, the team will continue to win, with or without me, and all the fans and city residents will support the team just as they have supported me for the past 10 years. This team is destined for success.” The Belgian is not keen on staying in the Premier League, despite having offers. The two most likely options for his career move are Chicago Fire and Napoli.

🎤 Pep Guardiola has issued an ultimatum to Manchester City, expressing his desire to reduce the squad size: “I’ve said I don’t want to leave five or six players in the stands all the time. I will leave if this continues. Reduce the squad – I’ll stay.”

❌ In the last round, Ballon d'Or winner Rodri made his return to the pitch after a long injury layoff. He played 15 minutes, including stoppage time. However, it's unlikely the Spaniard will be ready to start in the next match. Other players have also recovered. Nathan Ake made the squad, and Oscar Bobb appeared in the final minutes. John Stones remains doubtful for participation.

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

The match will be officiated by Andy Madley, who has taken charge of 18 Premier League fixtures this season. On average, he issues 3.61 yellow cards per game. Notably, in the clash between Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest, he handed out nine cautions. However, in 6 out of his last 8 matches, he has shown no more than three yellow cards.

Fulham have the edge in yellow cards this season (2.3 compared to 1.7). Yet, in 11 of their last 12 matches at Craven Cottage, they have received no more than two cautions. Considering the referee's stats, it makes sense to bet on home team total yellow cards under 2.5.

⚽️ Goal Prediction

Fulham often struggle in the first half, conceding in 8 of their last 9 matches. This trend extends to 20 of their last 21 head-to-head encounters. Given the visitors' motivation, it's reasonable to bet on Manchester City to score in the first half.

🚩 Corner Prediction

This season, Manchester City have the upper hand in corners (6.6 compared to 5.5). They need a win in the upcoming fixture, which will likely result in sustained pressure on Fulham's goal. In the first round, the Citizens earned eight corners against Fulham. A similar scenario might unfold in the upcoming match. Therefore, we suggest betting on total away team corners over 5.5.

The Citizens' total dominance in head-to-head meetings is a factor that cannot be overlooked. Guardiola's side are in decent form and, unlike their opponents, have significant motivation in the standings. Therefore, it's well within their capability to comfortably defeat the inconsistent Cottagers as usual. We'll stick with the obvious and back a Manchester City victory.