Man City unsung hero steps up to help Mateo Kovacic earn Fulham win

Pep Guardiola said on Friday that he doesn't need to speak to his players as often these days because of how many leaders they have and how long they have been together.

At some points during Saturday's 3-2 win against Fulham, it was easy to see why. No less than six Manchester City players congregated to discuss exactly who should take a free-kick just outside the penalty area as they worked together to find the best way past Bernd Leno.

However, the upshot of that set-piece - Erling Haaland striking the ball off Bernardo Silva as he lay on the floor behind the wall - gave an indication of why help would be needed from the sidelines for this one. In order to come back from a Fulham side who showed why they started this game in sixth, Guardiola turned to more help than usual.

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Despite a bright start, City were staring at immediate trouble and the end of two longstanding unbeaten runs after half an hour at the Etihad. Adam Traore should have put the visitors ahead when he brushed off Rico Lewis from a counter only to be denied by Ederson, but soon after City were undone by a Raul Jimenez flick that took out three defenders and allowed Andreas Pereira to turn home.

Moments later, it should have been 0-2 only for Traore to send the ball over the crossbar from just six yards out. Ederson will feel that he put some pressure on, but it was still an enormous let-off.

The crowd had been in good voice all game and they urged City back into it, with Mateo Kovacic smashing in to make Fulham pay for their profligacy. City were level, but this was still no ordinary day at the office.

The presence of Juanma Lillo on the touchline highlighted that better than most things could. Guardiola's No.2 is often the voice of reason for the manager, the one turned to for a sense of perspective or the bigger picture. Sometimes his counsel will be called on for a few words during the game but against Fulham he was regularly out of his seat for lengthy discussions.

One came after City had been torn apart on the counter again in the second half, not long after Kovacic had put City ahead with his second of he afternoon. Guardiola then brought Kyle Walker over from warming up and spent several minutes with him talking through what he wanted.

Not that it worked, with Walker outpaced by Traore when he came on and grateful to Ederson for coming up with another save to keep City in control of the game. Jeremy Doku should have made the game safe for City with a smashing effort that confused Leno, only for fellow sub John Stones to lose Rodrigo Muniz in the box and reduce the arrears to one again.

Deep into injury time, Ederson was booked for taking his time over a free-kick that he was attempting to take ten yards ahead of the spot. Guardiola sarcastically applauded and spent the rest of the game remonstrating with the fourth official.

That was the kind of afternoon it was at the Etihad, far less comfortable than it could have been and needing every bit of brain power from the pitch and the dugout to get City over the line. But over the line they got, and they head into the October international break just one point behind Liverpool at the top of the table - level with Arsenal in second place.

In a block of games that has seen them play four of their tougher league matches as well as start their Carabao Cup and Champions League campaigns, losing Nathan Ake, Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri to injury in the process, it is to their credit that they remain unbeaten and well-placed.

That speaks to longer form. City's win on Saturday means they have now gone 30 games unbeaten in the Premier League since losing away to Villa last December - equalling a club record - and are up to 50 games unbeaten at the Etihad in all competitions.

It is a team effort that has taken them this far, and even if they will hope for more comfortable afternoons City will use everyone they can to try and extend those runs any way they can.