History was made and then almost rewritten in a Premier League classic at Craven Cottage, where Erling Haaland's milestone century was nearly eclipsed by a staggering Fulham fightback. Manchester City emerged 5-4 victors in a match that defied belief, having led 5-1 before the hour mark.
Haaland's Historic Moment in the Driving Rain
On a night of biblical rain in West London, Erling Haaland wrote his name into the record books with a typically ruthless finish. The Norwegian striker became the fastest player to reach 100 Premier League goals, achieving the feat in just 111 games. He smashed the previous records, reaching the century 13 games quicker than Alan Shearer and a remarkable 49 games faster than Thierry Henry.
The landmark goal itself was pure Haaland. He peeled away from his marker around 12 yards out and met Jeremy Doku's cross with a controlled, first-time finish that flew high into Bernd Leno's net. There was no elaborate celebration, just arms aloft in the downpour, marking a moment of individual brilliance that seemed to set the tone for a comfortable City victory.
Fulham's Unbelievable Fightback
With Phil Foden imperious and adding a brace, and further goals from Tijjani Reijnders and a deflected Doku effort, City stormed into a 5-1 lead by the 57th minute. The contest appeared dead, a mere backdrop to Haaland's personal glory.
However, Marco Silva's Fulham had other ideas. Inspired by substitutes, they launched an astonishing revival. Alex Iwobi fired in a stunning 25-yard effort, before Samuel Chukwueze came off the bench to score twice, his second capitalising on hesitant goalkeeping from Gianluigi Donnarumma. Emile Smith Rowe had also netted earlier, making it 5-4 and setting up a frantic final 15 minutes.
The home side threw everything at City, with Josko Gvardiol making a crucial goal-line clearance to deny Josh King a 98th-minute equaliser. The City bench was a picture of anxiety and regret, a stark contrast to their earlier dominance, as they clung on for a barely-believable three points.
Title Race Implications and Guardiola's Concerns
The victory cut the gap to league leaders Arsenal to two points, albeit having played a game more, and served as both a warning and a concern for Pep Guardiola. While the attacking prowess was undeniable, conceding four goals will be a major worry for the City manager, following a similarly shaky defensive display in a recent win over Leeds United.
Phil Foden's outstanding performance, his second brace in four days, quietened any talk of City being a one-man team. The England midfielder, now with five league goals this season, was instrumental in knitting play together and driving his team forward. His form could be pivotal if City are to wrestle the title away from Arsenal.
For Fulham, the result was a heartbreaking defeat but the spirit of their comeback will provide solace. For the neutral, it was a breathtaking advertisement for the Premier League's relentless drama, where even a historic individual achievement can be upstaged by collective chaos.
