Man City boss Pep Guardiola believes that his team does not need a leader like Winston Churchill as they look to defend their Premier League title. Thanks to a tenacious 2-1 victory against Fulham at Craven Cottage, City regained the top spot in the Premier League for the first time since February 17. Fulham battled tenaciously with the reigning champions the whole game and kept Pep Guardiola’s team on their toes until the very end. When Erling Haaland scored his season-high 50th goal from the penalty spot after just three minutes, far more seasoned top-flight teams could have lost their composure.
A little more than 10 minutes later, Fulham was able to draw even thanks to Carlos Vinicius, who has failed to score since taking Aleksandar Mitrovic’s place as a regular starter due to suspension. In the first half, it took a stroke of brilliance from Julian Alvarez to give the visitors the lead again. He expertly curled in the game’s winning goal. When asked if his team would benefit from having a statesman and leader of the caliber of former Prime Minister Winston Churchill, City.
“There is no need for a leader among these players. They are aware of what must be done. We were aware that [this was] undoubtedly among the toughest games in the run-up. We always came off a winning streak because Arsenal didn’t lose any ground and it seemed like the only goal was to defeat Arsenal. However, if you play that game, you might lose a little,” Man City boss Pep Guardiola said. “I was blind to that descent. Both sides’ grass was dry, making it challenging to establish a rhythm, but we gained momentum. The major change from the past is that we adequately defended ourselves. We had a little bit of difficulty, but it is typical, and my main worry is how we will recover. Every three days, we play a lot of games, and that is typical. Winning games makes us quicker and more willing to take on challenges.”
After Arsenal held the top spot for 247 days, City has only finished the day in first place 15 times this season. As the game drew to a close, Fulham appeared to have the best chance of scoring again, but City held on to surpass Arsenal.
For more football news, click here
