Pep Guardiola is a byword for possession football, not set-pieces. He is intrinsically associated with slight midfielders passing the ball, rather than giant centre-backs heading the ball in from dead-ball situations.
Yet when John Stones applied the final touch to Kevin de Bruyne’s corner against Fulham, it was Manchester City’s ninth goal from a central defender already this season.
Only Riyad Mahrez has scored more goals for City than the four main centre-backs have got between them. In the Premier League, City’s total of 10 set-piece goals puts them behind only Liverpool. The purists have prospered by being pragmatic.
It helps, of course, that City can benefit from the delivery of expert technicians. De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Mahrez and Phil Foden also offer two right-footers and two left-footers, meaning they can deliver in-swinging crosses from either flank. A demanding manager thinks they can show still greater potency in a manner than relies less on tiki-taka and more on aiming for the big lads in the box.
“We have to improve in our takers,” Guardiola said. “I think Kevin, Gundo, Riyad and Phil have to improve a little bit to put the ball in the right spot, because I think we can be dangerous in that position because of our central defenders, and [defensive midfielders] Rodri and Fernandinho, when he plays. We are strong in this department.”
Guardiola credited coach Carlos Vicens for his work on free kicks and corners. “The meeting about the set-pieces is so inspired, so clear and clever,” he said. “I think the players appreciate that. I am more than delighted with the job that Carlos has done.”
Man City vs Fulham ratings
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MANCHESTER CITY RATINGS: Zack Steffen – 6, The American shotstopper continued a stint in goal in the FA Cup, couldn’t do anything about Fulham’s first but needed to do much better with Kebano’s long range shot, which rebounded into Carvalho’s path and didn’t look all that comfortable. PA -
Kyle Walker – 6, Dealt with Kebano on the wing well. Booked. Getty Images -
John Stones – 7, Outbustled his opponents to rise and produce a glancing header to quickly put Man City on the path to victory. In control and had a whopping 86 passes by the full-time whistle. Reuters -
Nathan Ake – 7, A solid display by the defender who didn’t do much wrong and handled Fulham well. AP Photo -
Joao Cancelo – 6, Skied a shot but unable to dominate and control play like he has on other occasions this season. Getty Images -
Fernandinho – 6, The 36-year-old grew much more confident as City found their footing and produced several tackles and interceptions to break up Fulham’s play. AP Photo -
Kevin de Bruyne – 7, Some De Bruyne magic once again after beating Adarabioyo to run into the box and selflessly find Mahrez to make it 4-1. Didn’t stop working throughout. Reuters -
Ilkay Gundogan – 7, Made no mistake equalising for his side just minutes after Fulham’s opener and nearly had his second when the German met Fernandinho’s looping ball in the box but blazed over the crossbar. Reuters -
Riyad Mahrez – 7, Selfless in leaving the ball for Gundogan as Cancelo helped the ball back across the goalmouth. Netted a goal of his own when he beat Gazzaniga from the penalty spot. Reuters -
Phil Foden – 6, Did great work in the buildup for Gundogan’s equaliser but was largely off the pace in the first half. Forced Gazzaniga into a low stop in the second half. Getty Images -
Jack Grealish – 6, Brought down in the box and awarded a penalty to make it 3-1 and but most of his dribbles came to nothing. Getty Images -
SUB: Raheem Sterling (for De Bruyne 68’) – 6, Needed to do much better with his freekick, which he failed to hit with any kind of conviction. AP Photo -
SUB: Oleksandr Zinchenko (for Cancelo 67’) – 6, The Ukrainian did what he needed to do for City to see out the game. AP Photo -
SUB: Liam Delap (for Grealish 77’) – 6, The youngster hopefully looked towards the linesman as he found the back of the net in the 90th minute but was unsurprised to see the goal disallowed. Getty Images -
SUB: James McAtee (for Mahrez 78’) – 6, Won a freekick seconds after coming off the bench and looked lively. Reuters -
SUB: Bernardo Silva (for Foden 78’) – 6, A late run out for Silva as City had the game under control. PA -
FULHAM RATINGS: Paulo Gazzaniga – 6, Had no chance with Mahrez’s penalty but not really at fault for any of City’s goals. AFP -
Neco Williams – 6, No tougher debuts for the Liverpool loanee than playing Man City but did well. Getty Images -
Tosin Adarabioyo – 6, Needed to do much better marking John Stones, who beat him in the air to convert City’s second of the game. PA -
Tim Ream – 6, Put in a crucial header as Ake’s misdirected header looked to be an easy tap in for Foden. Unfortunate to get a touch on Mahrez’s wide shot for City’s fourth. Getty Images -
Joe Bryan – 6, Gave a soft penalty away when he fouled Grealish in the box and kept busy on the wing with a few clearances to his name. AFP -
Nathaniel Chalobah – 6, Clashed heads with Ake in the first half but able to continue and was a much-needed player in the centre to break up play. Getty Images -
Harrison Reed – 6, Did well to win the ball back but then disastrously overhit a pass to his defender that set Man City up for another goal. Getty Images -
Harry Wilson – 6, Provided a great ball for Fulham to take the lead in the opening minutes and some moments of creativity in the first half. PA -
Fabio Carvalho – 7, Stunned the Ethiad Stadium by slotting home after four minutes to put the Championship side ahead. Could have had his second against the Premier League giants when the ball rebounded into his path. Getty Images -
Neeskens Kebano – 6, Forced Steffan into action with a decent shot, which the City goalkeeper was only able to push into the path of Carvalho. Getty Images -
Aleksandar Mitrovic – 7, Fulham’s top goalscorer produced a moment of absolute quality when he played in Wilson with a beauty of a ball over the top of City’s defence and so nearly had his 29th of the season when his turning shot went just wide. Reuters -
SUB: Jean Michael Seri (For Reed 67’) – 6, Put in a few tackles but at a disadvantage coming on with Fulham 4-1 down. Getty Images -
SUB: Anthony Knockaert (for Kebano 67’) – 5, The former Brighton winger was unable to get a grip on the game and largely ineffective. Reuters -
SUB: Rodrigo Muniz Carvalho (for Wilson 75’) – 5, A pretty anonymous display from the bench. PA -
SUB: Tom Cairney (for Mitrovic 75’) – 5, Shot just wide seconds after coming on as Fulham looked to finish the game with some fight. AFP -
SUB: Ivan Cavaleiro (for Carvalho 88’) N/R, The former Wolves man was brought on for the final minutes of the game. AFP
City host another of the division’s best exponents of dead-ball situations tonight. Only the top three have got more goals from set-pieces than Brentford and Thomas Frank’s team have added to their armoury by signing Christian Eriksen after he left Inter Milan.
While the Dane is unlikely to make his first appearance in the Premier League since his Tottenham days, Guardiola is delighted to see the playmaker back. Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch during Denmark’s Euro 2020 opener against Finland. While his heart stopped beating then, he has been fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, allowing him to resume his career.
“It is great news, he came back to play what loves and what he does exceptionally well and I am pretty sure all the doctors take all the measures to not suffer another blow,” Guardiola said. “Fortunately he can come back, It is good news for him, his family and Brentford.”
With Chelsea in action at the Club World Cup and Liverpool not playing until Thursday, City have the chance to go 12 points clear, even if only for 24 hours, with a 13th win in 14 league games.
“We arrive at the important part of the season and we have to win, because Liverpool will lose few points,” Guardiola said, as he guarded against feelings that a fourth title in five seasons is an inevitability. “It’s a long run until the big prizes, you can smell it. We had an incredible January.”
Jack Grealish, Kyle Walker, Mahrez and kit man Ally Marland celebrated on a night out on Sunday.
It made headlines but Guardiola argued they were treated unfairly as he joked: “I’m so upset because they didn’t invite me. The video didn’t show exactly what happened. They had dinner together sober, enjoying with their mates and backroom staff. The players know the risk when they go out because of social media but all of them – Riyad, Kyle, Ally, Jack - were perfect. But they will be fined because they didn’t invite me.”
