Manchester City's Difficult Victory Over Fulham Opens The Weakness Of Defense, Difficult To Compete With Arsenal

JAKARTA - Pep Guardiola is confused about what happened to Manchester City after they almost lost their four-goal lead in a dramatic 5-4 win over Fulham, Wednesday, December 3, 2025, early morning WIB.

The Spaniard added that it was a matter of survival.

Erling Haaland opened Manchester City's lead, scoring 100 goals in the Premier League, but his milestone was lost to the chaos that followed suit.

Manchester City took a 5-1 lead and advanced shortly after the first half ended, but Alex Iwobi's goal and Samuel Chukwueze's two substitute goals meant they had to fight hard until the end of the game.

"Did you enjoy it, friends? Me? Impossible. This is the Premier League, we can't control it, this is the Premier League. I know you guys will ask what happened and I have no answer."

"It's a matter of emotion, it's a matter of football. Why did you do this, why did you do that? However, with a heavy heart I say, we did amazing things today, extraordinary, because I know how difficult the team is."

"We proved it and scored the goals we scored and the quality we had. Erling had a chance for a score of 6-3 and soon, 5-4."

"When that happens, it's just a matter of survival. Don't tell me how, the players don't know either. In the end we will be the ones to bear it," Guardiola said with a smile after the match.

Manchester City are now two points behind leaders Arsenal, who will host Brentford on Thursday, December 4, 2025, early morning WIB.

However, the competition for the title will clearly not continue with the defense shown by The Citizens against Fulham.

"Arsenal are very strong and solid. So, I know what we have to do. It will be difficult, but at the same time, the Premier League is still very long."

"I promise you that I have had enough experience to fight hard and fight hard to win the Premier League," said Guardiola.

Haaland's opening goal made him - by a far enough margin - become the fastest player to score 100 goals in the Premier League, in just 111 games.

Tijjani Reijnders scored a second goal and Phil Foden scored an incredible third goal, before Emile Smith Rowe narrowed Fulham's lead before halftime.

Foden added his goal collection to four goals in two games. Then, when Jeremy Doku hit Sander Berge's knee, the goal was supposed to be the last goal.

However, the visitors were still not threatened when Iwobi again narrowed Fulham's lead, with a curling shot from a distance of 20 yards.

It happened until substitute Chukwueze scored his first goal for Fulham, two goals in a span of six minutes.

When their second goal passed Gianluigi Donnarumma who was even more surprised, there were still 12 minutes left, plus eight minutes of extra time.

Marco Silva's side gave everything to fight Manchester City, but right when another substitute, Josh King, thought he had scored the equalizer and got an unexpected point, Josko Gvardiol returned and blocked his shot right on the line.

"What they showed was very impressive. Usually, a crushing defeat against a team like Manchester City, a lot of things they can think about."

"Maybe the damage has already happened, don't take the risk. However, the reactions of the players were extraordinary. We probably deserved the fifth goal to equalize," Silva said.