Manchester City Edges Fulham 3-2 at Etihad

Mateo Kovacic scored twice as Manchester City overcame a surprising challenge from Fulham to win 3-2 at the Etihad Stadium. Fulham took the lead in the 26th minute through Andreas Pereira, who capitalized on a brilliant backheel from Raul Jimenez. City equalized shortly after with Kovacic’s deflected shot, and he put them ahead just after halftime with a curling effort. Jeremy Doku extended the lead with a stunning strike in the 82nd minute, though Rodrigo Muniz's late goal for Fulham created a tense finish. The victory keeps City in second place in the Premier League, just behind Liverpool, while Fulham remains sixth. Despite questions regarding their midfield depth following Rodri's injury, Kovacic's performance has alleviated some concerns for manager Pep Guardiola.