The City class showed in that second half as they powered through to the fourth round.
The Fulham resistance prevalent in the first half waned severely in the second period.
And they met Mahrez’s two quick-fire goals with no reply as Pep Guardiola’s men closed out the game at a canter.
The fifth round beckons for City, and should they play with the ferocity they did in the second half, there’ll be few who can stop them going forward.
Starting Lineup:
MANCHESTER CITY (4-3-3): Zack Steffen;
Kyle Walker, John Stones, Nathan Ake, Joao Cancelo;
Kevin de Bruyne, Fernandinho, Ilkay Gundogan;
Riyad Mahrez, Jack Grealish, Phil Foden.
MANCHESTER CITY SUBS: Ederson, Ruben Dias, Raheem Sterling,
Oleksandr Zinchenko, Aymeric Laporte, Rodri, Bernardo Silva,
Liam Delap, James McAtee.
FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Paulo Gazzaniga;
Neco Williams, Tosin Adarabioyo, Tim Ream, Joe Bryan;
Nathaniel Chalobah, Harrison Reed;
Harry Wilson, Fabio Carvalho, Neeskens Kebano;
Aleksandar Mitrovic.
FULHAM SUBS: Marek Rodak, Michael Hector, Tom Cairney,
Anthony Knockaert, Ivan Cavaleiro, Rodrigo Muniz,
Jean-Michael Seri, Josh Onomah, Alfie Mawson.
Goals:
0-1. The visitors take the lead!!!!! Fulham breaks down the right, and Wilson beats Cancelo to cross for the unmarked Carvalho in the box, who taps the ball past Steffen.
1-1. That didn’t take long!!! Back come to City straight away, and a ball across the box finds Mahrez. He times his pass perfectly to find Gundogan in the box, who smashes the ball home.
2-1. De Bruyne swings a corner into the box, and Stones rises at the front post to head beyond Gazzaniga into the opposite corner!! After such a promising start by the visitors, City has turned this game on its head.
3-1. Mahrez steps up and buries his penalty in the corner! Gazzaniga goes the right way but can’t keep the shot out as City extend their lead.
4-1. De Bruyne streaks forward into space before teeing up Mahrez to his right. It’s a simple finish for the Algerian who slides the ball under Gazzaniga to score his second in just a few minutes.
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