Pep Guardiola relieved as Man City scrape chaotic victory at Fulham

City survived a frantic late onslaught to stay within touching distance of Premier League leaders Arsenal.

Erling Haaland became the fastest player in Premier League history to reach 100 goals, hitting the landmark in just 111 matches, but even that milestone was overshadowed by the drama that unfolded at Craven Cottage.

City were 5-1 ahead shortly after the break yet still ended up clinging on as Fulham threatened one of the most remarkable comebacks of the season.

Guardiola, shaking his head afterwards, admitted he had rarely experienced anything like it. "Did you enjoy that, guys? Me? Impossible," he said. "It's the Premier League, you cannot control everything. You are going to ask me what happened, and I don't have an answer.

"At 5-1 you think the job is done, then suddenly it is just survival. The players don't know how it happened either."

City, who are now two points behind Arsenal, struck early through Haaland before Tijjani Reijnders doubled the lead. Phil Foden then smashed in a superb third before Emile Smith Rowe nodded in for Fulham just before half-time.

Foden took his tally to four goals in two matches with a composed finish early in the second half, and City's fifth arrived when Jeremy Doku's strike looped off Sander Berge.

But what looked like a routine win descended into chaos. Alex Iwobi curled in Fulham's second before substitute Samuel Chukwueze stunned City with two goals in six minutes, the second flying past Gianluigi Donnarumma with 12 minutes left. Fulham kept coming, and Josh King thought he had equalised late on, only for Josko Gvardiol to make a crucial goal-line clearance.

Guardiola acknowledged the defensive problems but insisted City remain capable of another title push. "Arsenal are so strong and so solid," he said. "I know what we have to do, and the Premier League is long. I have enough experience to make long, long runs."

Fulham boss Marco Silva praised his side's reaction after falling four goals behind. "What the boys showed was unbelievable," he said. "We probably deserved a fifth goal to equalise the game."

City have now won four of their last five league matches, while Fulham suffered only their second home defeat of the season in what will be remembered as an extraordinary Premier League classic.

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